OUR JUNIOR CADETS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 892, 11 August 1910, Page 2

OUR JUNIOR CADETS.

THE SYSTEM UNDER FIRE. MR. JAS. ALLEN, M.P.,':'AND THE P MINISTER. In the course of a recent interview, . the Minister for Education (the Hon. 6. Fpwlds) took occasion to refer to" the • criticism which had hecn levelled at the junior cadet system hy Mr. Jas; Allen, M.P., when in Christch'urch the other day. The Minister said that according to Mr. Allen all the training required hy the junior cadets should bo physical training and miniature rifle practice, with perhaps a littlo squad and company drill. The fact, was that the •syllabus of training for ■ the junior cadets (Clauso 57, Regulations for the Junior Cadets) prescribes 50 per cent, of time allotted for drill to bo physical' training, and the other 50 por cent, to bo squad and company drill. Mr.' Allen had further stated that to put cadets into battalions and take them . into camp appeared to' him to be unnecessary. Mr. I'Wlds agreed'to this,remarking that since the present Commnndant of Cadets was appointed-there has never been a single camp for junior . cadets, and there is not likely to be.,! ■'■ :But-although" battalion camps, are iiot ; .. now, held, the battalion organisation is 1 --' to bo maintained, and is. a most neoes- 1 ' '. sary part of our .junior cadet system.; '''\[ '■. In the course of a conversation. with V ; i.a representative of The Dominion on Tuesday, Mr. Allen referred to the : Minister's statements, and amplified his: ', '!' previous criticisms of the cadet systems ; # "Tin-pot Sollders." "In reply to my contention that all the; training "■ required by the junior, i cadets should be physical training and miniature rifle practice, with 1 perhaps a little squad and.company drill, tnei Minister states that.>.the syllabus of training now provides for 50.per cent.' ~-■■ of physical; exorcises and 50: per - of drill. Quite so. But it should. noted that this provision applies ia recruits. Cadets other ' than recruits, are required to d 0,50 per cent, of com-:' pony drill and-rifle "and firing exercises. ':-, If" this were carried put properly there ; ; : would be no objection to it, but under? the regulations as • drafted there is, no ' iiicentivo to carry this out,'aud I am,-, led to the belief that instead of: at-', tempting to devise a' system of'simple ' training as tbo basis for futuro train- . ing as soldiers, tho man who drafted , these regulations had in his mnid the', creation of an army of tin-pot.soldiers'..'• For example, Regulation No. 1 states ... that larger corps than battalions, may be organised and special establishments '; fixed. Then there are'..to be. battalioi: staffs, and sections of field ambulance, —in heaven's name, what for? Again," it is laid down that in all cities and,., "* tovfns where two or more companies ' are? clpso together at least two bat-,, talion parades shall be held in eacb ; ! year. In other cases as specially- au>tliorised by the Commaudant of Cadets,- : . Cadet Camps, "Now as to camps'," continued. Mr, -|' Allen. "The Minister has said thatthere 'will bo no. camps. Very. . well!' ; Regulation 58 states that no' company will bo permitted to attend . battalion camps -unless it is proficient in com-., pany training. A syllabus of ' camp."-,-' training is also set out.. If no 'canips:: l '~ are v to be held, .why .these, provisions? •; If further evidence were necessary there '? is tho actual vote oh this year's Esti- • mates. It.may be said, of course, that '-:■ this is for-the cadet officers' training •'.': corps , but that is not my opinion..' Further, I should like to saw,with regard to cadet officers' training'. corps;,* that I very much fear that these, will operate to ,the detriment of the officers' .'■ training, eorps, ; at which ••', are' doing excollerit- work .' ' "However," concluded the- speaker, J "thp Minister, .says, lie agrees-with..nie ,i >' on the subject of, camps, I;'; ■can say' : is'''that'it'd6eWt ; appear as if '■■■ his advisers .agreed .'with nuwr'• In my y - opinion, school ■ teachers while. at .'.tho ,- training colleges should : in the'fuj .-<ybe able to do, all that is required' with ; regard, to their preparation for the;, work of cadet, commanders,' though :t is, quite possible that, there may ..ha '' some need 'at present ; for' extra' assistance in that direction.",. ~,.-■'