NON-SHIRKERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16559, 25 May 1914, Page 2

NON-SHIRKERS.

CADETS AT CHURCH PARADE. COMPLIMENTED BY THE COLONEL.

> HELPFUL SERMON. Two hundred and fifty-four Cadets and six'officers, under Captain Finiiis, paraded at the Barracks yesterday afternoon for church parade at the Cathedral. It was a voluntary parade of companies from Christchurch suburbs, New Brighton and Lyttelton. There should have been over a thousand on parade, but the only section with a strong muster was the band. A SOLDIERLY ADDRESS. Lieutenant-Colonel Smyth, officer commanding the district, addressed the Cade is before. they, .marchedto,. the Cathedral. Ho said that he wasrvqry glad to see those on parade, but ; -he wished to say that there should have been four times as muny. The Cadets before him were probably the most regular attendants on parade, and the best boys in, Christchurch. He wished to put it to them that the boys who did not attend were only shirkers, and the boy* on parade should let them urn-; dorstand what they thought of them. When there u ere jobs to be dotf& in everyday life and a few men stood aside and let the others do the work, they were regarded as shirkers and treated as such. When the Cadets went into the Territorials they would find the same kind of man, ready to throw .tho WOi'k on ttt;,others, but the\\ must be treated as the shirkers. Colonel Smyth added that he had asked Captain Finnis to call the roll of those who had attended, and mark off a half-day parade against them.. . AT THE CATHEDRAL. ; ;

■ Preceded .; by the druiqmers and; buglers, the hoys marched through the" town, reaching the Cathedral a little after three o’clock. A large crowd followed them into the Cathedral," where a simple service was conducted by the Rev E. H. Shore, Bishop’s chaplain. The text of the address to the boys,!. “Quit you like men,” was offered by; Mr Shore as a soldier’s motto. , There were different standards among men, but he suggested with all humility, that the greatest standard was that of ail English gentleman. It was the highest standard of honour, of discipline, of commercial integrity and : truthfulness, of attention to duty and; of perseverance. To-day this standard was very largely called into question. It was the day .when all standards were being examined, and even religious law was being put under the microscope. To-day people were being told that the story of the Birkenhead ceased to fire the blood of the young men, and that Casabianca was a subject for a girls’ debating class. He looked to the Cadets to set before them the standard of an English gentleman ( in their sense of honour and discipline. They were called to no common destiny. They were called to he the rulers" of the great child races of the world. There- was a great burden on their shoulders. If they went to England they would see the roofs or Cathedrals hung with the flags that their forefathers won or fought for in' battle. Thev were treasured up in the house of 'God, and the message of those flags to-day was “Remember vour forefathers, who fought for a liberty and a truth greater than the world had ever enjoyed.” They should be true to the ideals of their forefathers, and strong in the power of this ideal. They could never do it with the strength of their own will or enthusiasm, they could do it only by the power of God, fighting not with the sword, but .with the strength of the spirit, striving towards self-mastery and self-respect. He was told that one-third of the New Zealand youths were not vet shoulder to shoulder with the Cadets, but to those in the ranks his message was, “Do your duty ana let them see that the greatest and grandest thing in New Zealand is. those lads who are undergoing militaiy ■ training because it is their duty as Englishmen."”.? , , . ~ 1 The Cadets marched back to the . barracks, where they were dismissed.