DAYLIGHT PARADES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15603, 5 November 1912, Page 4

DAYLIGHT PARADES.

The obligation which the defence system imposes upon the young New Zoalaiider has been accepted in this district, it will be freely allowed, in a commendable and excellent spirit. It Ls on that account the more to bo desired that no pretext should be afforded for any complaint in respect of the administration of the system. A correspondent, whose letter wo publish this morning, is aggrieved, however, because daylight parades have been ordered for two consccutivo Saturdays, the 9th and tho 16th inst, The complaint is hardly to be dismissed as entirely trivial if any better arrangement of dates could have been devised. It may be assumed the authorities are prepared to take the feelings of the Territorials into some consideration in fixing the dates of daylight parades, and it is rather unfortunate that they should thus be willing upon them to give up two Saturdays in succession. This might have possibly been avoided by the utilisation of another Saturday between the close of the football and the opening of the cricket seasons. The defence scheme is, however, still in its infancy, ami the ex]>erionce of this year will doubtless be valuable to the authorities in assisting them to a judicious arrangement of their fixtures for next year. It is to their interest to avoid rendering the fulfilment by the Territorials of their obligations any more irksome than is absolutely necessary. The occurrence of parades on consecutive Saturday afternoons is calculated to be more or less vexatious to

many of those who arc called on to participate in them, and if such an arrangement can be avoided it wero better dispensed with, however small a matter this may perhaps appear from one point of view. At the same time any tendency to magnify the claims of sport or to subordinate to them the need for training for the defenco of tho country is to ui doprccated.