DEFENCE LEADERS

Northern Advocate, 3 May 1934, Page 7

DEFENCE LEADERS

VISIT TO WHANGAREI. HIGH SCHOOL CADETS INSPECTED. RAIN INTERRUPTS PROCEEDINGS. Tie Minister of Defence, the. Hon. .1. C. Cobbc, immediately after his nr rival in Whangarei by the express yesterday afternoon, visited the High School, where an inspection was carried out. The official party accompanying the Minister comprised Sir W. L. Sinclair-Burgess, General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Forces, Col. J. E. Duigan, Officer Commanding the Northern Command, Majors Bridgeford and C. E. Gillespie, and Mr A. J. Murdoch, M.P. They wore met by Major A. ,R. Ryder, principal of the school, and Mr H. C. Rishworth, chairman of the Board of Governors, and taken to the recreation grounds, where the Ist North Auckland Cadet Battalion (High School Cadet) were on parade 300 strong. Following the inspection the Cadets, under Captain S. B. Dunn, marched past, the salute being taken by the Minister and Sir W..Sinclair-Burgess. A hollow square was then formed, and, .speaking from the centre of this, Sir W. Sinclair-Burgess complimented the boys on their turn-out, and gave them some words of sound advice. He referred to the strenuous tour the Minister had undertaken, and mentioned that in the course of the last four and a half days Mr Cobbe had inspected 13 units, including II yesterday. It was pleasing to see the Cadets at Whangarei parading on their own grounds, and especially to observe that the smaller boys -were training side by side with the larger pupils. 1 ‘ Loyalty and team work are necessary for the progress of your school,’ 1 lie said. “It is individual effort towards service which brings about collective success, and that is the spirit which saved ns in the Great War.*’ Sir W. Sinclair-Burgess remarked that he had. liked the manner in which the boys had marched past. They certainly had cultivated the free arm action, but should be careful not to raise , their anas too high. He preferred a free and easy action to a. stiff one In marching past. Hardly had the Minister of Defence commenced speaking’ when a sharp shower came down. Mr Cobbe had just time to say how pleased he was to rew-sit Whangarei, which was the second place in New Zealand he had visited after landing in Auckland. At that time much of the site where the town now stood was covered in scrub, and the beautiful school buildings and grounds today showed how remarkably the place had progressed. He also congratulated the Cadets on their march; ing, especially the smaller boys. At this point the rain became so heavy that, out of consideration, for the trainees, proceedings were abruptly terminated, and the Cadets were given the word to break for cover.