Canadian Cadets.—A Day's Visit to Auckland.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVIII, Issue 6, 7 August 1912, Page 5

Canadian Cadets.—A Day's Visit to Auckland.

Sixty-five veil set-up youths in neat khaki uniforms faced with dark green, Wearing brown boots and leggings, were the subject of much favourable comment as they marebed in perfect line up Queen Street last week, carrying the King's and Canadian colours. They tnarAed up Queen Street as far as the Town Hall, and, after giving the general salute m front of the Grey Statue —a graceful compliment, to one of New Zealand's great men —they marched back again to the wharf where tl»e:r steamer was lying. These were the cadets who hare eorne over from the -ister Dominion on a visit to Australia and New Zealand. In Ceuada the volunteer system Is still in force, and the cadet system is practically Confined to the high schools, resembling very much our secondary school corps. The lads who visited Auckland all come from the Vancouver High School of three hundred boys, and practically compose the corps. Apart from this they are not what is understood to be picked boys. Except for the slightly American accent. they are much like colonial boys, perhaps a trifle taller on the average. One of the main objects of the visit is to awaken more interest in the cadet movement in Canada. Altogether there are only about two hundred and twelve carps in the Dominion, and though Vancouver is a big city, there is only one other corps there besides the High School Soys. Wlien they were dismissed after their march up town, the boys strolled about the wharf—“dock” as they call it—ani quickly fraternised with the' people who had gathered to have a look nt. the visitors, from the land of the maple leaf. They are a verv intelligent lot of boy*, and are taking the keenest interest in their trip. The programme of their tour has not been completely mapped out yet, but they will s've displays in the various centres of military and physical drill; they have a capable orchestra, and football will ai-o be a speciality of theirs. Rugby is their school game, but in view

of the Australian visit they have been assifluou-hr practising the Austral; in game, whi.h is p’aved with eighteen men a side. They can also pat a good la rosse team in the field, and baseball is nutnberel among th- r athletic avomp'.ishments. Most of the lads are in shooting form, and can give a good a count of themselves on the range. Their rifles are of the Ross pattern—the s> rviie rifle of Canada. Tli-y did not anticipate that any shooting mat lies would be arranged so did not bring with them their range sights, which are of the peepsight pattern. Among the Canadians is a lad who came third among the cadets of the whole Dominion at, last year’s rifle meeting at Ottawa. The Canadian Trade Commissioner, Mr. IV. A. Beddoe, made the visitors fee! quite at home from the moment they entered the harbour. He went out to the steamer at an early hour, and welcomed them to New Zealand, where he assured them they would meet with a very hearty reception. The cadets were also met by Captain Matthews of the district staff on behalf of Colonel Logan, officer commanding the Auckland district. After the march up town the l«oys, without their arms, marched tip to Customs Street, where Mr. Bed doe had a number of motor cars waiting, ana they were all taken out for a couple of hours* spin in the suburbs. Colonel G. IV. S. Patterson and Captain Matthews aiso accompanied the visitors. Naturally t'..e lads have got a little out of form during the long sea trip, and after the motor trip they lost ns time in getting to work at the Drill Hall, where they put in some useful drill, whicn differs somewhat from that of the Territorials in minor matters Captain R. N. Davey, who is in command- of the loys, was much impressed by the cordial welcome extended to them, and he particularly appreciated the attention of the Commissioner. Mr Bed-doe, whose arrangements were most complete and thoughtful. The whole of the afternoon was spent in drill, marching, etc., as the lade are anxious to make a good showing when they land in Australia. A pretty complete tour of the Commonwealth is to be made, and they win not return to New Zealand until November. They land at the Bluff and work up to Auckland, which is to be the port of departure. No official reception was tendered the corps, as they are simply passing through Auckland on their way to Sydney, but on their return they will be received by the civic authorities in each of the centres they visit. The boys resume their journey this evening at six o'clock. The Artistic Taste. An effort is to be made by tha Wellington Education Board to develop the artistic taste amongst school children. The idea is to hang in the larger public schools, and in others subsequently, representative pictures in art. A commencement has been made with replica of “Lady Hamilton as Diana,” after the painting in oils upon canvas (coloured! by George Romney; ’Portrait of Man,” after the painting in oiis (coloured) by Titian; ’The Night Before Trafalgar” and a “Nameless Dell” (coloured). The frames Save been so made that the pictures can be easily removed and replaced by others from time to time, and interchanged amongst the schools. The aim

is to have something it. c too! worth looking at. and in that way not only cultivate the artistic taste but h.-lp to make tbi classroom attractive. of ore Moise titan Wool. In view of the recent activity of pro-fes-ed'y Labour leaders in New Zealand in stirring up strife, throwing “agreements to He I." injuring the worker monetarily and morally, and glibly talking about stopping the wheels of industry. the calmer and mure rational reflections of studious and experienced laibour advocates in the Old Country arc of more than passing interest. Last week we quoted what Mr. Keir Hardie had to say relative to the futility of the general strike, and his remarks receive forcible emphasis at the hands of the "Labour Leader,” the organ of the Independent Labour party in the Old Country. Listen to these significant passages: — Many of them” ( the workers) ’are getting tired of the turmoil of strikes. They are wondering whether strikes do not yield more noise than wool. They are looking round for some better way. . . . Above all, there should be no room in the trade union movement, nor in any good movement, for the mere reckless braggart. whose theatrical vagaries hurt and damage his cause. . . the strike will not of itself take the toilers very far on their road to liberty.”