RELAXATION AFTER TRAINING

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 September 1928, Page 7

RELAXATION AFTER TRAINING

HBIN'S YOUNG CITIZEN-SOLD-IERS. H ENTERTAINED BY MAYOR AND H l MAYOBESS. Tire happy function at which each the Senior -Cadets oi'' Lovin are by the Mayor and Mayor(Mr and Mrs T. Hobson)" took place some sixty cadets, having comtheir annual week's training, asunder Sergt.-Mayor By an and Brant at morning tea. The' there, was an expression which might; have been fairly interpreted as one of joygul' anticipation. Their demeanour! w&g.sueh- as local Cadets have a reputa-'j tion for, combining good, humour with; H a sense of duty, and it was plain to see that they appreciated very keenly-, H the"gei^ t rous hospitality ,-and the 'k-in.d-j. H; ly interest in "their welfare displayed H 4y. the Mayor and Mayoress. H After full justice had been done to H the choice viands provided, Serges' Major Ryan briefly addressed the boys, H explaining the nature of the occasion. H He remarked that it said a great deal B7ftf?~the Mayor-when he rang up "the. B Sergeant-MajoT and asked him if he H could spare, the time for the boys to H have morning tea at "the invitation of Mayor and Mayoress. He did net ■ """think he had ever been in any other H town where such a thing had happen-: ■ e&. "Wien'the Chief Magistrate of the I town' was found taking such an inter-. I est in the young people, one eould say M there was not very much _ wrong. The I boys were good sports, aiid were good ■ on parade. A boy was not expected I -to be an- angel. If he came on parade I ' with-a-long face, there was something: >vrong with him. Such a thing was not expected at a boy's age. The Ser-geant-Major added that, outside of Cadet work, he had had a good deal to do with Mr Hobson; and he could assure the boys that His Worship was a very good sport. Moreover, the Mayor did not- go about with his eyes flosed;-if he saw a boy untidy in his dress, he would notice it, although he #night not say much about [ it. When the boys saw that the Mayor of-th-s v tcrwn was taking an interest in them, it helped them to become better citizens. "We would far sooner have you -•Turn out a better citizen than a good cthot,'? the Sergt-Major continued. If you are a good rifle-shot, ( but not a -good citizen, you are not 'much good to the country; if you are a bad rifleshot but a good citizen, you are." He *hen asked the beys to rise and give three hearty cheers for the Mayor and Mayoress, which Ihey did with great .enthusiasm. His Worship, in his speech to the Cadets, said that he was very pleased to be^pregent ajid to entertain .them as '•►well as possible in the time at their disposal. At last year's function, in his unavoidable absence the Mayoress made a very good speech, and he would ..-have 'iked* her to do the same this year, but she thought ihat.,,she eould not speak very iwell' in front of him, —i though he must say that she could do .so at home all right. (Applause.) The spirit behind this entertaining of the § - Cadets wa-s that of .taking a part in interests. He felt that too much drill and instruction oftentimes made it a little.heavy for the boys; according to the old proverb, too much work made Jack a dull' boy. So he* had thought that if the lads heard during y the week that a morning tea awaited them at the end of their training, it AYonld give them the spirit to. carry -- on, and if they had some extra duties to do it would help to lighten the load and cause thenisjto look on the brighter side of tkin'gs. In trying to be good '" boys and good sportsmen .they were qualifying to be leaders of the town in a few years. He maintained that +5~ the young people were, the greatest critics and eould-tee'through their -instructors "and teachers .'• Very quickly. .It would be of no use for him to ad"r visa-them-to do the, right thing if, as soon as" their backs were turned, he .<did just the opposite. '-.When Mr ByW to*ld "ijhim that the company in Levin was really the best in his area, h 3 was right glad to hear it. "I often think he is /pulling my leg', " His Worship- added,-'but he assures ins that that is'not so. iThat is something to be proud of. There is no other area where they have morning tea, sq I take it that it has spurred you up to do your best while receiving instruction..' .The Sergeant-Major tells me that you are n\\ better marksmen. It 'is a good thing to keep your eye on the work and jour mind on the work. You-, cannot pot a goal unless you have your eye on the goal. Evidently, you have had your rye on the work and listened to your Instructor, and you have the satisfaction 'of knowing that he reports to headquarters giving you great credit for the ..work you have done." His Worship* a<fdod that he had mad-js it a''duty and a pleasure to entertain the cadets. He did not know whether he would-be her*e next year, but if he was he would be only too pleased to entertain them again. (Applause). At the same time he hoped that whoever might follow him as Mayor would do ' the same. (Applause). He wished to thank the boys for the kind way in which they had listened to his remarks, and in concluding gave them the fol- * lowing advice:—"lf, when you go out into the world, any little thing crops up and you are in doubt as to whether you should do it, think oc this point —'What would* my father or ■ mother say? Would they be willing for mo to do it?' Don't do anything they would not wish you ft do, and that •will-be ; the answer." (Loud applause). One of the boys called for three cheers for Sergt.-Major Byan, and there was a rousing response, followed by three more for Corporal Brant. "I. hope we shall meet again, nextyear," said the Sergeant-Major, as the, bt?ys rose to disperse; "and if you go' away don't 'fail' to notify your ' -change of.address."