ENTERPRISING CADETS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13751, 14 September 1908, Page 3

ENTERPRISING CADETS.

HEROES OF AMERICAN FLEETS VISIT. MARCH FROM BALLARAT TO MELBOURNE. The boy soldiers of Ballarat shou ed a little grit and a lot of enthusiasm for a novel picnic. They were told they would not be given a free railway pass to Melbourne to see the arrival of the American fleet, and the Defence .Department refused to officially recognise them ; so the boys did without the train and their reward was the cheers of thousands of people and the ignonimous humbling of the authorities. The Ballarat Naval Cadets, as the band of sixty-two styled itself in spite of official discouragement, set out froi,i the Golden City on the Tuesday before the arrival of the fleet. Its progress was reported far and wide throughout Australia. It reached Sunshine, just outside Melbourne, on the Friday. On that day this glowing story of the triumphal march was telegraphed to the Sydney Morning Herald : . "Dusty and tired, but full of spirit, the gallant little band of Ballarat Naval Cadet boys entered the outskirts of the city this afternoon, and camped at Sunshine. With five-minute spells every hour, and one of an hour and a half for dinner, they had covered for the day lSoniles, along a dusty rpad, enlivening the journey at intervals with rollicking choruses and music from the brass band, which is an important part of their establishment. "On Tuesday the boys marched lo miles; next day they did 14 miles; Thursday's stage was 17. Not a single member* of the brigade has dropped out. The boys are mostly 13, 14, and 1") years of age. The youngest is 11, and the eldest 17. "Mr Deakin regards this march as a special feature of the celebrations. Thi.s afternoon he motored to Sunshine, in order to congratulate the lads, who arc sons of his constituents. He complimented them on their spirit. One bo\ was suffering from toothache, and Mr Deakin volunteered to take him to a dentist. - When he prepared to leave,! jQheers for the Prime Minister wei-fj given. 'Thank you, boys,' he said 'you lave stolen a march on Melbourne. ] We are at your mercy. You have at-j tacked our back door, and as we arc unable to show any fight I came out to try and conciliate you. You have done a plucky thing,' and he moved away 'with one captive.' as he said, 'referring to the toothache sufferer." Next day this was the story : "Melbourne, Saturday.— The Bal-' larat Naval Cadets, who" walked alii the. way from the 'Golden City,' reached '/Melbourne this morning, and wern followed by a large crowd of enthusiastic citizens to the Town Hall. Thei" was continuous cheering. The Lord Mayor (Sir Henry Weedon). on behaU" of the City Council and citizens, welcomed the cadets to Melbourne. H*» said it was certain that whatever part they took in welcoming the American Fleet all eyes would be upon them fr» v their plucky march. H-e then invite 1 , them to breakfast at the Coffee Palocr. Melbourne. Before partaking of tho Lord Mayor's hospitality, the boys wen> escorted to the city baths. A rroA\ o followed them thejyj^Je way. Some o« the boys were raised on the shoulder. 1 , of several men; and there was no doubting that the citizens were thoroughly pleased at the fine spirit shown by them." . , •'The boys have been ihc talk ot tN State for a whole week," said the Melbourne Leader in its issue of the following week, "and have been mad* 1 more of through their plucky defianet of officialdom than they could ever hay anticipated. Had they come in $• train in the ordinary prosaic mannothey would have been mere unconsidered units in a crowd. But for one glorious moment they have had the liniplight flashed full upon them, and will ever furnish a memory to the American sailors of boys who walked ovjer a hundred miles to see them."