CITIZENS AND SOLDIERS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 24, 5 March 1914, Page 8

CITIZENS AND SOLDIERS.

PROGRESS OF SENIOR CADETS.

"From the reports I have received, and from what I have seen myself, the senior cadet training is highly satand is a great credit to the ' Dominion," said the Hon. James Allen, Minister of Defence, to a SUN representative this morning. ~ ~ Mr Allen continued: is especially pleasing is that the lads are not only being equipped in the finest way for the defence of their'country —the training is having a splendid effect on their character. It. is not only a credit to the lads themselves and to their school-, masters, but also to the Defence staff which .has been training, them. In four or five years, when the lads have gone up into the territorials, they will lay the foundations of a splendid citizen army, and they will be splendid citizens. We are not merely making soldiers of them —we are trying to improve the lads and to make better citizens of them. I recently had an ■ ■ interview with a Methodist clergyman, and every effort is being made to let the churches have opportunities, at both the main camps and the week-end camps, to get in touch with the lads and to use every influence for good."