THE CADETS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12534, 22 June 1901, Page 5

THE CADETS.

THEIR QUARTERS. IN A DISGRACEFUL STATE. A visit ,to the quarters of the cadets at the Normal School yesterday revealed a most disgraceful state of affairs. The whole .place ■was in a state of dirt and confutsion. that was simply astounding: The class rooms, in which the. hoys have their meals, are fitted with long, roughly-made •. • trestle tables, only a few feet apart, so that it is almost impossible "'to' ■ get down 1 between the rows when the. boys are seated. Under the tables was a pile, literally several inches thick;, of mud, crusts, pieces of bread and meat, and other refuse.' The tables themselves were littered, with crumbs, jam, butter and grease. Every boy had to look after himself, passing ;his plate up to the head 'of Bis table, where the carver stands, and trusting in Providence to get it or somebody else’s back. What the boys did not want they, threw upon the floor. The carvers, of whom there do not seem to he nearly enough, are supplied with joints in a deep tin dish, arid have to work with an ordinary blunt small knife and fork. .The bread has also to be cut with an ordinary knife. The butter is put on the tables in the wrapping paper just as received, .and the lads help themselves with their own used knives. Marmalade in tins is also scattered about, but naturally the nearest- boy secures the lot. The tins are afterwards thrown down. The floor, where it was visible through the accumulation, of other debris, was; covered with damp mud, while the d'n of several hundred hoys shouting and talking was terrific. The dormitories were a little better, but were, nevertheless, far from satisfactory. The straw : upon which the boys sleep was Littered all down the corridors and along the aisles, left between the lines of beds. Orapge peel, pieces ,of bread, and mud also figured largely. The kitchen was-conducted on more civilised lines. The meat and bread were kept in clean baskets and hexes, the six gas stoves were all clean and bright, and everything seemed to be done methodically and well.There were other matters that also required attention. For instance, the boys’ boots had apparently not been cleaned since they left their home®, giving them a far from neat appearance. The cause of-this discreditable' condition of affairs was altogether the want of supervision. The adults with the boys are too much occupied already to be able to give Sufficient attention to the cadets themselves. The Defence Office is supposed to, have assumed sole control,, the. Education Department only providing the buildings, and should therefore take immediate steps to get the cadets into proper order. There are so many boys that not the slightest hardship would be. entailed if they were required to keep their quarters clean and tidy. ' % The comforts of the hoys were greatly improved during the day, and the Public Works Department have built a large shed and placed tables to facilitate the dispensing of the meals. It is estimated that this new arrangement will allow of the meals being partaken of in about an hour. - The sanitary have also been, improved, and matters are now in a more satisfactory state. The College and Boys’ High School Cadets paraded on the review grounds on the North Park, under Major Richards, about 120 being on parade. Nelson College Cadets paraded on the College, grounds, under command o.f Captain Littlejohn. >■ ;The general parade of the three battalions took place on Cranmer Square, and_ the battalion movements were executed in a businesslike manner, and 'reflected credit on their company officers. The steadiness of all ranks was most noticeable, and especially in No. 1 Battalion, consisting of naval and artillery companies, who marched with a ; precision and dressing that would have done credit to any adult corps. The Cadet Brigade will bo a feature ol the Royal reyiew. ■