3

E.—ll

Colonial Ammunition Company's Cups. Combined districts of Auckland and Hawke.'s Bay— Cadet T. Monteitk, No. 1 Company. Hastings .. .. .. 72 Combined districts of Taranaki, Wanganui, and Wellington— Private Wake Barry, Stratford District High School .. .. ..83 Combined districts of Nelson, Marl borough, Westland, and Nortli and South Canterbury — Private J. Wooding, Geraldine .. .. .. .. ..96 Combined districts of Otago and Southland— Colour-Sergeant G. Gough, Kaikorai .. .. .. ..95 Wanganui Challenge Shield. Tie not yel fired off. Wanganui Championship Belt. Bugler R. Down. Pannevirke North .. .. .. .. ..42 Winners of I list rid Prize Medals, being the Highest Individual Scorers for each District. Colour-Sergeant Olsen, C. . . Picton, Marlborough . . . . 72 Sergeant Cadness, R. .. .. Northcote, Auckland .. .. .. 69 Cadet Lewin . . .. .. Masterton, Wellington . . . . .. 7< i „ Barry, W. .. .. Stratford, Taranaki .. .. ..83 Colour-Sergeant Gough, G. .. Kaikorai, Otago .. .. .. !'"> Cadet Coutts, F. .. .. Makarewa, Waikiwi, Southland ... . 92 ~ Hawthorne .. .. Hastings, Hawke's Bay . . 71 ~ Wooding .. .. Geraldine, South Canterbury . . .. 96 „ Ashley. D. .. .. St. Albans, North Canterbury .. .. 70 „ Reeves, A. .. .. Nelson .. .. .. 82 „ Hughes. W. .. . . Hokitika. Westland .. .. .. 92 Waters. W. .. .. Waverlcy. Wanganui .. .. ..62 Though shooting is one of the most important branches of a Junior Cadet's education, 1 regard physical training as being even more important, and have issued orders to all my Instructors that physical drill, without apparatus only, is to be taught to Cadets at schools. Apparatus, such as dumbbells or clubs. &c., is unsuitable for young children, and tends to stiffen rather than strengthen their muscles, and is more likely to do harm than good. In this lam supported by medical men and physicalculture experts throughout the Dominion. Field-Marshal Earl Roberts last year offered a framed and signed photograph of himself to the best all-round Junior Cadet of the yeai. This was won by Bugler R. Down, of the Dannevirke North Junior Cadets Company. His Lordship has also presented a signed copy of his book " Forty-one Years in India " for the best all-round Junior Cadet in 1911. Expenditure. The expenditure for the year amounted to £7,669 Bs. 4d., whilst the sum voted was £7,223. This excess of expenditure over the vote was due to the fact that revenue due. amounting to considerably more than the excess expenditure, was not credited to the Junior Cadet vote before the 31 st March. (For details see schedule.) In conclusion, I desire to state that I propose to make it a fundamental principle to refer to the General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Defence Forces all matters involving a change of system, such as military and physical training, target practice, organization, discipline, amendments to regulations, &c, for his consideration and opinion before actually giving effect to them. The first matter to be, dealt with in this way will be a series of amendments to the Regulations for the Junior Cadets, which I propose to submit at an early date for your approval. The guiding principle in these amendments will be to obviate as much as possible any conflict between the Junior Cadet Regulations and those governing the Defence Forces. So long as this is done there need be no fear of overlapping in any way. and uniformity will be assured. At the invitation of the G.O.C. the Defence Forces, I attended, for a few days, the training-camp at Tauherenikau, and witnessed the carrying-out of the tactical schemes. From every point of view I consider the camp afforded excellent examples of how such camps should be conducted, and f intend to bear it in mind as a model upon which to base future Cadet officers' training-camps.