SCHOOL CADET CAMPS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13557, 30 March 1908, Page 3

SCHOOL CADET CAMPS.

TS ATTENDANCE OF TEACHERS COMPULSORY. - • LEGAL OPINION. The Committee of Management of the New Zealand Educational Institute, in response to an urgent request from tne Auckland Branch of tlw Educational Institute, recently obtained legal opinion with regard 1o the power of Education Boards to compel teachers, who may he oudet officers, to attend cadet camps. The. following is the text of the opinion submitted to the Institute by Mr Myers, Crown Prosecutor, on the question: '" On December 4, 1907, I gave an opinion to ihe New Zealand Educational Institute which involved to some extent the question of ihe powers of an Education Board in regard to the public school cadet corps movement.

" A further question lias now arisen up-' >n which I a:n asked to advise as to the. ]>ower of an Education Board to compel the attendance at a camp of teachers who may happen to be.cadet officers. "It is suggested that a teacher who attends a camp has-to work" during ihe whole 24 hours of the day, whereas the school hours during which a teacher has ordinarily to work are only from 9 a.m. till 3.30 p.m. Probably this point may have a bearing upon the question at issue, but in nry opinion the matter can be aisposed of without consideration of that question. If the matter at any time has to he contested,' no doubt the aspect of the matter suggested on behalf of the Institute may' be set up in addition to the point upon which, in my opinion, the matter may be determined. .

: ' By Section 17 of the Defence Act Amendment-, 1900, the Governor may from time to time-make regulations for the formation, equipment, and training of cadet corps in connection with the public schools. It is probable that. the Governor ; has power under that section to make regulations for the holding of camps: that is a point which- I suggest: I have not considered it, as it does not arise in the present case, because I have been unable to find, and I understand from the officers of the Education Department that there does not exist, any regulation made by the Governor with regard to the holaing of camps' by "public -school cadet corps. I understand that the holding.of a camp is a- mere matter of arrangement between the Education Board and the Education Department. .But the Education. ; Board apparently. makes ah application to the Department and obtains a grant towards the expenses of holding the camp.

"Section 136 of the Education Act, 1904, provides' that in public schools provision shall be .made for the instruction in military drill of all-boys. Regulations made by the Governor in 1904—see New Zealand Gazette. 1904, at page 558—make provision for the formation, equipment, and training of cadet corps in connection with pubjic schools, and regulation number. 5 provides that the; drill book used shall*'be' Training" for' Public School' Cadets,. 1903,' or a later -edition of such manual of drill. As to holding of camps I have been -unable tb find anything in 'the.' ' Orders' issued by officer commanding public school cadet "> corps compelling the holding of camps, and if there were any such provision in the 'Orders,' 1 do not; I think, for. the' reason given in my previous opinion, that it'could be said --iat the ' Orders' ; would give an Education. Board the right to compel the attendance at a camp of the teachers. " In my opinion, the Board has' no power, to compel a teacher'to attend a camp. '.. .