ENROLLING THE CADETS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 80, 6 April 1910, Page 8

ENROLLING THE CADETS.

THE NEW DEFENCE ACT. Preparations for tho enrolment of junior cadets under the new Defence- Act nre well under wny, and enquiries made go to show that boy?, teachers, and paronti aro taking a K r «>at interest in tho movement. Under tho Act every boy who \\aa eleven years of ago itt Iho beginning of tho year is liable for service, and the Officer Commanding (Major M'Doiiald) has, as already *tared, communicated with tho head teacher of cvrry school in which them are boys, requiring a return setting out the names of all boy« who come under that category. Th« number of «chool« concerned is over 2200 — public, private, and native— and tho most modest computation goet to chov that in a very little whilo the cadet forces of tho Dominion will bo increased to comiderably over 20,000. A» soon as the returns como in, units will be lormod according to establishment, and the boys wilTjjo furnished with tho ordinary uniform and practice rifles ; besides which a certain number of 'Teal" rifles will bo furnished to each unit to enable tho member* to carry out their class-tiring. It it intending to noto that the t«rra ot service of a cidot will count aa far as regards the o«rtii> — of all service modal*, "half-time" boinr counted during that period of tho boy's military career. What is to bo the rule in regard to tho senior cadets will appear in tho regulations nowbeing framed by the Council of Defence. On the motion of Commi*Moner Moore, the Johnsonville Town Board has rerolvod to again introduce in Pailinment the Bill thrown out Ivt »eseion dealing with the School Trust site. The mover expressed the opinion that the real reason lor last year's rejection of this measure was the fact that the Premier's absence from the country made the slaughter of innocents imperative. Though there have been rumours that typhoid fever ha* been more prevalent in Wellington this year than usual, the Mayor (Dr. Newman) declares decidedly that such is not the actual case. There have been cage* of diphtheria and other troubles in the low-lying quarters of Kilbirnif, but when the council's sewerage scheme is complete, there is 110 likelihood the trouble will recur. An a matter of fact, the health of Wellington, states the Mayor, has never been so generally good as it was during the winter and summer just past. The death rate of the city is always very low, and last year is likely to prove the lowest on record. Within two months it is likely that the widening of Lower Willis-fttieet will be complete as far as the block of buildings at the corner of Mercer-street. Messrs. Jones and Ashdown's building will shortly be set back to the new line. One of the questions tho City Council will deal with at ite next meeting i& the wood-blocking of Pout-office Square and Customhouse-quay. The matter ha» already been before previous meeting", and some definite decision may be expected when the council meets on Thursday. A kindred proposal i* to extond the tramway from theaßank of New Zealand corner in Wellis-street to the Jervoisqua/ line, opposite tho Pout office. For some time past tho Chiietcbuich Tramway Board has issued tickeU tit special concession rates to pupils under twenty-one years of age attending educational institutions. Ft haa since been fouud (state*, the Lyttelton Time*) that the privilege hits been abused, pupilteachers and others who were not entitled to the concession having obtained tickets at the reduced rates. The board at its meeting on Wednesday udopted a recommendation of the Finance Committee thai the tickets should be issued only to school pupils under seventeen years of age. At the Blenheim Supreme Court the other day, when s female wit new was being sworn, *he was n.«ked to take the glove off her right hand, whereupon, reports the Express, his Honour said that there was a mistaken idea thtit a woman could not be iworn with her glove on. It was bad enough for the witnesses to have to kisn the eamc book, and he hoped that very coon kissing the Book would be abolished. Through tho kimlne;* of Mr. J. C Williamson, tho children, and old peoples under the control of the authorities of the various charitable institution* in Wellington arc witnessing a performance of ".Peter Pan" this afternoon. It is probable that at «ii eoily date tho Mayor (Dr. Newman) will bring forward the question of duplicating tho Wftinui main to inett tb« incrcftiiuf tie-