PHYSICAL PERFECTION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 198, 20 July 1935, Page 6

PHYSICAL PERFECTION.

A strong point Avas made by Dr E. H. Cameron when, at the annual meetiug- of the Eeilding Returned- Soldiers’ Association, he deplored the lack of physical training which has folloAved the abandonment of compulsory military training in New Zealand. Dr Cameron made it clear that he Avas not discussing the question from the military aspect, but from the desire to see a nation of physically fit men should the need arise in the future. His profession brings him into contact with the country’s youth, and he say “it is extremely rare to find one who has a chest expansion of over three inches.” That is a serious indictment against the young men of NeAv Zealand. At school they Avilliugly enter into games and commence to deA’elop a hardy constitution; in the secondary schools they are enrolled in the cadets and continue a training that has most beneficial results in conjunction Avith their pastimes. But it is a truism, noAV that compulsory military training has been abandoned by the Government, that youth in the main does not exhibit any Avholesome desire to continue toAvards manhood in the excellent way he was taught at school. Only a small proportion play football in the Avinter; the great majority remain on the bank. A nation Avliose young men to any considerable extent refuse .to participate in vigorous exercise, or to voluntarily undergo military training—not for actual preparation in Avarfare but to keep fit should the call come — must in the end deteriorate, and that is the position Dr Cameron and others avlio have given thought to the matter wish to see avoided. The advantages boys derive from secondary school training Avere. mentioned at the meeting by a master of the Eeilding High School, when he stated that on examination boys were found to have a chest expansion of five inches. It is unfortunate that much of the good achieved in all secondary schools in this Avay should be lost in later life, when it is essential that young men should continue Rewards the perfection of their physical self. What Dr Cameron desires to. see is a fornt ;of military training, other than the voluntary system nov/ in vogue, which Avill create a better youth. The difficulty, perhaps, lies in the cost which the Government would wish to aA’oid. It- has certainly made military training more attractrve than it was when the A'oluntary system was first introduced, but cadets outnumber the territorials by tAA'o to one. A greater percentage of young men could with benefit to themselves. take up this training; it makes little demand on their spare time and has advantages Avhicli cannot be denied. MoreoA-er, it means the dcvelopment of a fitter manhood.