HALF-DAY PARADES.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160794, 30 October 1920, Page 11

HALF-DAY PARADES.

To the Editor. ** Sir,—lf you wish to hear a genuine grievance just listen to me. You are, perhaps, -unaware of Ihe number of halfday parades which are called by the military authorities during the year. Each Cadet or Territorial must attend at least six. Unfortunately, these almost infallibly fall on days when "England's Last Hope" would otherwise be having an active and enjoyable afternoon on a football or cricket ground. He is dragged from one of these—or kindred—healthy pleasures to 'sveat inside an ill-fitting uniform of coarse sacking, inviting varicose veins by doing monotonous evolutions on a hard parade ground. I am not an antimilitarist; but you will agree, Sir, that one of the best lessons learned during the war was the physical value of active games. I therefore urge that the military authorities make some effort to allow Cadets and Territorials to retain their liberty on occasions when they could be. taking part in football or cricket. There are a certain number of Saturdays, eight or nine at least, when neither winter nor summer games are being played. If the "brass hats" utilise these they will earn the undying gratitude of the forces, while at the same time they will help along many clubs and sports bodies. Let me illustrate my point: To-day (Saturday) there is a half-day parade, and because of it one of the junior cricket clubs will have six playing members absent. Others will suffer similarly. The Collegiate School and Technical College teams do not undergo these disabilities, and the town clubs are thus placed at ar acute disadvantage.—l am, etc., TERRIER.