BURNHAM CAMP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16327, 17 January 1921, Page 8

BURNHAM CAMP.

CADET CHAMPIONSHIP. Or. Saturday the cadets of Burnham «„np took part in an all round championship, tile events m which consisted of:—lnfantrv training, 552 points; mbloid athletics, 16 points; basket bail, 3.6 points: swinirainc:, IH points; total, K£>. ■JBie eight squads of cadets at the ositp competed against, eacn outer .n all events, tho squad gaming t! ° irjeatest number of points m tne _r.garagate being declared the champion. A das; had been presented by tne commandant, Lieutenant-Colonel F- Symon. G.M.0.. 1X5.0., 8.N.Z.A.. to be held by tho winning squad until the sueooodin.£ oftinp. This flag already lias a history, in that ifc haa_ flown over tho headquarters of the New Zen land Divisional Artillery in Cologne during tho period tho New Zealand Division was in the Army of Occupation. It If] a New Zealand Ensign, inscribed *' N.Z.F.A. Cologne, 1918-1919/’ The flagstaff i 3 to bo inscribed with the name of each winning squad in turn. The winning; squad will carry the flag on tho “fall in ” parade every morning and cn church parade. At each succeeding course held at tho camp, tho squad with the number corresponding to that of the winner in the previous course will carry it on these parades. Owing to the rain during Saturday morning, the drill tests in infantry were carried out in the gymnasium and resulted in a; win for J> 1 squad, with 43 points, 11 3 being second with 37 points. In the afternoon, the rain stopped, and allowed the remaining events to be carried out according to tho programme. At 1.30 p.ro. the tabloid athletic meeting commenced. It insisted of nine events, each squad entering a team of eight. Every member of these teams competed in each event, and, provided he obtained the standard, scored a point for his side. In the 80yds sprint, the whole of each team ran together, the time of the last man being taken. Other events were: high jump, long jump, rope climbing, hop, step and j amp, three forward jumps, goal shooting through basket bail ring, three backward jumps and relay race. The object of tabloid athletics is to get every boy competing in each event, knowing that, even if he is the worst boy, his performance counts just as much towards his team as that of the best athlete. This encourages the “team spirit” while the “ dud ” by assiduous practice for his team or squad quickly improves an<t soon is no loner a 1 dud. B 1 squad wero again successful in this event, A 3

squad being second. In basket ball the preliminary matches had been played off previously, the eight squads being divided into two leagues. A and i>, of four teams each- In these leagues each team played the remaining three. On Saturday at 12.30 p.m. the best team of ~ A league played the best team of B league. The winner of this match was tho basket ball chfimpion, and obtained sixteen points. The loser, runner-up with fourteen points. Similarly, tho second, third and fourth teams in each league played off and were given points on the same system, running from twelve down to two. A 2 squad were the winners, B 2 being the runners-up. All tho games were closely contested, and great keenness was shown by both players and spectators. Tho swimming, at 4.30 p.m., consisted of a relay race, one team of four being entered from each squad. Two .series, each of four teams, were swum off, the time of each team being taken and points allotted accordingly from sixteen downwards. Close finishes were again the order of the day, A 3 squad putting up xhc fastest time, with B 1 second. At 4.15 p.m. the whole school fell :n on the parade ground for the presenH'U 0 ” AH to the winning squad, B; 1 (Nelson College Cadets), which obtained 85 points out of the possible 10 !> P 01 ? fc ?- -5” » being second with G 8 points. Ine officer command- [ mg the Canterbury military district, Colonel R. Young, congratulated the winners on their good all-round performance, first in infantry drill a ,id tabloid athletics, second in swim min rr imd third in basket hall. He also commended the fine fighting spirit of the members of the remaining squads, who had all played the game bv their squads ana den© their best from start u> finish. /' s , tll , is first occasion on which the nag had been won it was handed over to tho winners I,\ q squad ot instructors from the camp staff the flats being cased. The winning Fquad then marched past with the flue •15 ln £‘ pa race presenting: arms ant! .the officers saluting On comnletion of Ore march past the O.t .!>. callctl on ail present to give tlnee heart v cheers far r.re winning squad. Trie championship throughout vis -i great, success ntld Hie standard olittin«d by all squads showed that the cadets have benefited greatly bv their training >n .-amp. jhe enthusiasm evinced bv fi ranks showed that the hoys evident !y took great pride in the performances of their squads. Tn connection with the swimming it may lie mentioned that lnajiv boys have been taught to »,« m during the course, only four still beino unable to do so. •” During t!m day the officer students challenged the officers of the staff to u game of basket hall, which took place, after the cadet championship had been concluded. A fast, open game resulted ma wm for the staff by 8-1. Tile staff officers then challenged the staff sergeants and succeeded in defeating them 8-0. The course will be concluded on Thursday next.. Tho championship was carried out on Saturday owing to the fact that a number of cadets are unable to remain until the conclusion of the course. During this week more advanced training will be carried out including a flag attack, advanced guards and outposts. Before tho end of tho course it is hoped that it will be possible to carry out a championship meeting between' teams selected from the officers of the staff, the student officers, the staff sergeants, and the Territorial and Cadet N.C.O.’s attending the course.