THE SCHOOL CADETS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 262, 2 November 1907, Page 7

THE SCHOOL CADETS.

3TEED DAY AT PUKEK.OHE.

(By Rifleman.)

The battalion, parade of school cadets at Pukekohe yesterday constitutes a record one for New Zealand—that is, so far as any one district is concerned. The number present was no less than 1295.

A special train left Auckland at 9 a.m. About a quarter or an hour before that time the boys were drawn up in line in the station yard, and attracted z. considerable amount of attention from the various passersby on their way to business. '-"Halt," "fours right," "quick march" came in stentorian tones from Colonel Loveday, and company by company the hoys passed through the gate and filed_ into their separate carriages. In ten minutes all were in their placea— not seated, because the seating accommodation was totally inadequate for that vast volume of bone and muscle and sinew of young Auckland, but they got in somehow or other and stuck there. There was no capitulation—no armistice. '""You don't belong to Newtoa West," remarked one small boy with withering scorn, "Get out. Your crowd's up at the top." "Not much," was the rejoinder, "they're full up there. I'm here, and I'm going to stay here. Put mc out if you can." "Oh, shut up," came from a Nelson-street boy. '"He's all right, there ain't no straphanging law here." j '"Hooray," cooed a chorus of mischiev-ous-looking youngsters, their seraphic countenances betokening not the inert j ■wickedness within them. "Say, do you mind much if I breathe,",asked a dulcet voiced Grafton boy in anguished tones. Amidst all that babel I heard the plaint quite distinctly and looked over. Sure enough, there was one small red-headed boy supporting on each knee another' boy who in turn supported othere, and others, until there was not enough room to squeeze in any more. The remark j was not uncalled for, but it fell on unsympathetic ears, and ever and anon the crowd kept piling up until there was no j room to squeeze in any move. Eventually the train got away with a ssething mass of red, brown, black, blonde, mousecoloured, and every other coloured-hair-ed heads thrust through open windows. "There's Parnell," yelled a boy with powerful . lungs, '""Hooray," was the chorus, and the number of round heads thrust through one small rectangular aperture completely set at naught the laws of mathematics.

On arrival at Pukakohe the boys were marched to the show ground, where they were put through their facings. They carried out their work well, but I think the honours of the day went to No. 2 battalion, who were specially singled out for praise by the Colonel. The afternoon's tactics could not be carried out in their entirety owing to a sharp downpour of rain. As the boys were really out for a day's outing rather than a ceremonial parade, they were dismissed and allowed to get under shelter. The thanks of the ■origade are due to Mr. Patterson, of Pukekohe for obtaining the parade ground and making other arrangements to facilitate the day's work. The. following are the particulars of the various companies who took part in the parade:—No. 1 battalion: Kemuera, under Captain Bowden, 52; Onehunga. Lieut. Hinton, 91; Otahuhu, Captain Bullen, 304. . Graf ton, Captain McK&y, 58; Ensom: Captain Wilson, 56; Parnell, No. 2," Captain F. W. Hare, 61; Parnell, Nα. 1, Captain Darrow, 59; Newmarket, Captain Edgerley, 50. total 457. No. 2 battalion: Normal, Captain Brown, 70; Newton East, Captain Hall, 50; Nelsonstreet, Captain Braithwaite, 50; Northcote, Lieut. Jones. 59; Devonport, Lieut. Clarke, 76; Napier-street, 50, total 407. No. 3 battalion: Beresford-3treet, No. 2, Lieut. Hitson, 47; Beresford-street No. 1, Captain Walker, SS; Ponsonby, Captain Trayes, 65; Richmond-road, Captain Green, 58; BaySeld-road, Captain Law. 42; Newton West, Captain Blakey, 58; Mount Albert, Captain Campbell, 45; Mt. Eden, Captain Gatenby, 61, total 434. Grand total of parade, 1295.