SEA CADETS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 134, 3 December 1941, Page 11

SEA CADETS

WELLINGTON UNIT

MOVE BY NAVY LEAGUE

The formation of a Sea Cadets unit

is contemplated by the executive of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Navy League. A very effective unit is functioning in Christchurch and it is proposed that the Navy League Sea Cadets in Wellington be instructed on somewhat similar " lines. The Wellington branch, at a meeting last night, appointed a sub-com-mittee to go into the question, with power to act, and authority to commit the branch to an expenditure not exceeding annually. It is proposed to absorb the Collingwood Sea Scouts in the organisation, which will be > under naval discipline. It is under- , stood that certain equipment is avail- . able, that a grant can be secured for--4 uniforms, and that a suitable room will ' be placed at the disposal of the unit ! 5 for training. Boys passing out from [ the Sea Cadets would probably enter the R.N.V.R. and later the Navy or Mercantile Marine. ' . Although the Wellington branch of [ the Navy League has not.received offis cial advice of Government approval of the Sea Cadet Corps movement, due probably to the fact that it is under- ] stood regulations are under considera- ', tion, the movement has been the subject of action by the Government. A ' clause was inserted in the Finance Act (No. 2) passed by Parliament last session, authorising the New Zealand Naval Board, subject to such conditions as it thinks fit, to assist units or controlling bodies of Sea Cadets officially recognised by the Naval Board by providing stores and equipment by way of grant, loan, or purchase. The Navy League Sea Cadet movement was started in New Zealand in Christchurch, well before the outbreak of the present war. and the headquarters are there. Quite recently another corps was established in Dunedin. ' It is hoped that in Wellington it will be possible to organise half a dozen units. The adoption of the Sea Cadet movement in New Zealand was stronglyadvocated by Earl Beatty on his visit to the Dominion. On his tour he showed a motion picture film of the activities of the Sea Cadets in Britain, where there are over 100 units,, and subsequently presented the film to the New Zealand Navy League, The Sea Cadet movement has also been established in New South Wales, Victoria, and Canada. All are modelled on the British pattern, as will be the case in New Zealand, the units being subject to inspection by the Navy and so on. As an indication of his appreciation of the organisation in Great Britain, Lord Nuffield gave the Sea Cadet moveiment there £50,000.