MILITARY COLLEGE.

Evening Star, Issue 14632, 31 July 1911, Page 2

MILITARY COLLEGE.

A NEW ZEALANDER'S EXPERIENCE. Tlia life of a student at tho Commonwealth Royal Military College, Dnntvoon,New South Wales, is apparently a stronuotts one. ' I Mr C. Carrington, son of the Rev. C. W. Carrington, of Christchurch. and one of the New Zenjanders who was successful in gaining an entrance scholarship to j that institution, writes (says the ' Lytlel- ' ton Times') in an.optimistic strain about j the conditions of life at the- college and j the treatment- meted out by the instructors ! to the cadets. j ilr Carrington states that the college is situated at a height of about 1.900 ft ! above sea- level, so that snow is not un- j j common, while sharp frosts are often ex- ! I perienced. The college buddings are tern- j | porary ones, the new buildings not yet ' having been commence:.!. Tho bedrooms; are 4yds square, and have- cold water and j electric light laid on. The cadets rise at ! 6.15 a.m. and breakfast at 7.15 a.m., ; ! after which the morning is devoted to j j work till 1 o'clock, when lunch is served, j Work during the afternoon is followed hv i j dinner at 6*130 p.m. From 7.30 till 9.50! j tho cadets are expected to study, and at ! I 10.15 p.m. "Lights out'' is sounded, with i the exception of Sundays, when- lights are j switched off at 10.45 p.m. ; The uniforms, Mr Carrington states, arc ( similar to these worn by the Boy Scouts. j At the end oi each year an examination ! will be held, when every student must ; obtain at least 50 per tent, of the marks j obtainable for. each subject. In the event I of a candidate failing in his examination ! tho Jirst year, he will he given another I chance, to pass in the following year, but | in the event- of a-second failure ho must | leave- the college. No cadet, is allowed to lnvo more furniture in his cubicle than | that provided by the authorities. Tho I only pictures allowed are photographs of i relatives, and oven tabic cloth.'; arc for- ! hidden. The lighter side of the cadet's j life is well provided for. £l5O having been spent in games. Mark:; arc given out of a possible I.OCO for good conduct and drill. At the beginning of each term a cadet, is awarded 1,000 marks, and from that time till the end of the term marks are deducted for breaches of discipline. At the end of four years all the marks will be added together, and from them the order of graduation from tho college will bo deckled. No cadet receives his monetary 'allowance from his parents. The authorities take charge of that, and pay all incidental expenses arising cut of a. cadet's college career, and then pay over what remains to him as pocket money. Speaking of the work done by student % at the college. Mr Carrington stales that after tho s;cnnrl year all civil subjects, with the exception of mathematics, will

: be. dispensed with, and most, of the time | will be devoted to military work. A i high standard of efficiency will be rei quired in practical work, apparently, ! amongst tho requirements being the jump- | ing on horseback of a fence 4ft 6in in i height, dropping from a height of oOl't, ! balancing on one leg on a pole 2in in I j diameter suspended oft in the air; the I driving of artillery up a. hill, ard many ; other liko accomplishments! On the coca- I sion of the annual camp the work of pitch- I ing camp will be preceded by a march of I 26 miles, for the most, part over tough i country. | Speaking of the nearest settlement to ; the college, Yuss-Cinberra. the capital of : the Commonwealth. Mr Catrmgteu states j that the ground grow.- no grass, and is I of » terra-cotta i-elor. The o:dy vcgeU'.- | tion consists of a feu- half-dead blucgum j trees, whilst all tho water lias to he fii- j tcred or boiled before being lit for drink- | ing purposes. i The cadets have all settled down to hard work: apparently, and for another 18 months no cadet will have an opportunity j of visiting his relatives, .-;> tiial by that | time military training will, have lost- its ; novelty to New Zealanders. and the New i Zealand cadets, if they return home for their vacation, will find themselves in an atmosphere of miliiari.-m not dissimilar to that- surrounding Duutroon.