OFFICERS ENTERTAIN

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 7 March 1935, Page 6

OFFICERS ENTERTAIN

Praise for Hawera High School Cadets MILITARY TRADITIONS SOUND PHYSICAL TRAINING Every year, during the annual camp oi tlie Hawera High .school Uaciet Company, tiie pincers entertain members or t.ie Seiiool Heard ot (Governors and lending citizens. This function, always a popular evenmg, took place last nignt in rue pitieers’ mess and in the chair was the orticcr commanding, Lieut. J. U. I'lncllater. Un his ngnt was the .Vi ay or of Hawera (Mr. J. E. Canijibeli) and on his left, the chairman or the hoard, Mr. J. W. J. Harding, and the Principal (Mr. John Dash;. There were also present Messrs J. B. Murdoch, F. o<. Veale, A. Coleman, A. K. Hyson, John Gray and Dr W. M. Thomson (members), the Rev. A. G. Irvine (chaplain). Major B. H. Smart (Oueen Alexandra Mounteds), Capt. J. iN.. Henry (iN.S.S.O.), Capt. W. W. Thomas, Capt. A . G. .Whitehead, Capt. A. W. Lawn, Lieut-. J. Li. Thomson, Messrs R, McCay (Egmont A. and P. Association), W. R. Shaw (Red Cross Society), L. Hulbert (OJd Boys’ Association). Apoligies for absence were received from Messrs J. Q. Barclay, I. Kirkby, Walker, Davy, Holloway, Forbes and Johnston.

Dinner was served by the cadets from the camp. The tables and the room were appropriately decorated. Following the ioyal toast, the commandant gave a cordial welcome to the visitors. He said that over 180 boys were in camp and lie was specially pleased with their soldierly hearing and spirit The weather was line and the accommodation and surroundings of the camp of the best. The training, said Lieut. Findlater, was found to reflect a physical and mental stimulus and the boys were fortunate in having the advantages of a camp, the influence of which would stand to them at school and in after years. The- work done at the camp was good for school life, because the teach-er-officers were able to know the boys better and all realised the sense of honour inculcated. The discipline was strict and this had a definite value, adding much to the school life. The success achieved was the result of the eo-ioperation of the boys and paients, and also the good work of his brotherofficers, who took their work very seriously, fully realising the traditions that were behind the scheme of military training in camp. Mr. Dash said he would first like to return sincere thanks to the Egmont A. and P. Association for its generous support and assistance, to Thomson as medical officer, to Mr W. Shaw for Red Cross assistance, and to the Mayor, who had arranged to secure help for those boys whose parents could not afford the expense incurred in attending the camp.

RECORD ATTENDANCE. The attendance of cadets, said Mr. Dash, was a record, but st had not reached the point he desired and next year he hoped there would be a still larger attendance. There was remarkable support from all sides and he was gratified at the interest taken by the parents. All realised the benefit accruing from the camp in the -school, throughout the whole year and it was regretted that the time was so short. He hoped it would be possible to add an extra three days in future years.

lii conclusion, Mr. Dash paid, a tribute to the people lvho had helped in the commissariat, to the Defence Department for its cordial co-operation, and to the school’s own officers, whose work outside their school duties was considerable and hardly realised by the people of the district. He personally felt grateful to them for their good work and said that few schools could boast so many officers with military experience. The oxtra-muray work of the staff was increasing and their reward must lie in the fact that it had a great influence on the boys and that it gave them an added, opportunity to get to know the boys. ’ The Mayor said he was happy to he ascsociated with the function and also to know that he had been privileged to help and to show an interest in the work of the camp. He added congratulations to the officers on their work from which, he felt sure, much good would accrue. He could see that ail had their hearts in the work. Mr. Harding said that, although he previously had attended similar functions, this was the first occasion he had attended as chairman of the board. He wished to express the board’s gratification to the staff. He had never knowui a staff which made a better team of officers than that at the Hawora High School and he commended them for the time, and work given for the boys. He stressed the value of military training, which inculcated a spirit of discipline and was a real and lasting benefit to the boys and to the school. In conclusion, Mr. Harding said he felt sure that the Hawera High School w r as building up a tradition because they had been singularly fortunate in the class of teachers associated with the work of the school. The Egmoirfc A. and P. Association, said Mr. McC'ay, was pleased to cooperate in the work of the school and of the camp and he stressed the fine position of the association and the ‘fact that the magnificent grounds would always be at the service of the public.

TRAINING VALUE. Major Smart referred to the high standard of the officers and expressed tlie hope that the route march would always lie held. He stressed the value of the intensive training in camp to business life and to the success of young men in all walks of life. The value of leadership in. the army as well as outside, could hardly he overestimated. •

A high tribute to the results secured at the school was paid by Mr Murdoch, who also expressed cordial approval of the value of the training given.

Speaking on behalf of the Defence Department, Capt. Henry said the officers of the Department wove always keenly supported by the principal of the school and also by the staff. He always appreciated the privilege of attending the camp, which be considered one of the best run in Ids experience. Mr. Shaw complimented, the boys on

their very eJicient Rod Cross work and said he would like to see this developed and extended. The hoys ran their own Red Cross outfit and were doing it very creditably. Mr. Irvine said that most men. who had achieved greatness had had the benefit of military training and he was pleased indeed to see the smartness rmd neatness that was evident throughout. the whole camp. Regret that camps were not held while he was at the school was expressed by Mr. Hulbort and a tribute was paid bv Capt. Lawn to the good work done by the boys of South Taranaki at the recent camp at Waipukuvnu. Many of them, lie said had been at the Hawera. School.