IMPERIAL COUSINS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1591, 7 November 1912, Page 3

IMPERIAL COUSINS.

CADETS OF t)W DOMINIONS. \ ; MEET IN WELLINGTON. ■■''. AND DISPLAYS. ' Cousins ot Empire—Senior Cadets of Canada'and.New Zealand—met and'exchanged, greeting in Wellington yesterday. Early in '•tho morning the Vancouver IHigh : School Cadets arrived in : port by the Maori,, from the south, and with the New Zealand representative cadot team which arrived in town the previous day -from Canada, via .Auckland, were'accented a public welcome at. the, Town Hall, the'proceedings being marked by the greatest cordiality and enthusiasm. •His Worship the' Mayor (Mr. D. McLaren) presided, and there.were also present the Hon. Jasi Allen (Minister for. Defence), the Commandant of the New Zealand Forces (Colonel E. S. Heard, who, as sen ior officer at general headquarters, in the absence from .the country of Major-Gcn- ; eral Gpdley,' automatically .assumes the' command), the bfficer commanding the Wellington Military District (Colonel E. W. C. Chaytor), tho Adjutant-General (Colonel'G.-CB.,Wolfe), Major J.' G. Hughes, D.5.0.,' and the ofneer-in-charge .of. the area group (Major: PptterJ, members of the Wellington City Council, ,of ;the ■ Navy League and Victoria League, and.a fair, gathering of the' general public, keenly interested inVthe lads in khaki. ■',_■."f .-•' ' Address by the Mayor. .In the course of,a short address'of welcome, the Mayor wished.'them.the best of good time during their, stay in Welling-ton,-and said that they would carry bacr to Canada the heartiest good wishes from, the people of Wellington, and-of New Zealand■ generally. . -\ ... ■•:' At the 'invitation-'of the Mayor,'rousing cheers for the visitors were then given ,by. those present., ■ ..... '. . ■ Speech /by the Hon. James Alien. Ijhe .Minister. for Defence (Hon. -"Jas.. Allen) then addressed, the gathering, and remarked that he hoped in- about Ave months'-tiine to. have an'opportunity, of visiting.the Vancouver High School, and renew his acquaintance with the cadets,, and tell their headriiastcr and the citizens of Vancouver fhe real meaning and result of/their'"travels. ''Their tour: had been undertaken for' the. purposes of education, and he, had no''doubt that'they \would ! profit .very materially from, tho impresi, sion's,''- gathered', at first hand, of, these' 1 Dominions''oversea'. New • Zcalandcrs in i the pa«t; 'as. a,matter of •necessity, had 'to concentrate their, thoughts very largely upon their own affairs, upon the'development of their new'country, but they had realised,. particularly vduring \the. last 12 months, ithat' their; thoughts■■ in future must go beyond Nftw.Zealand. ■ They felt that they,'.as well, as Canada.'.'liad a partnership claim in /the defence lof our Imperial heritage,.ifor they'could not.lose siglit of the.gieriotis traditions■ of their race. That the 1 travels abroad of the New Zealand .'and' Canadian boys would have individual/results of the 'best kind ,Ke felt 'sure,'but there- was.one result that, ■should remain. iHth them for tho rest ol their .lives—the .conviction of'the absolute necessity' for'the cultivation of unity and of' modesty. ; The, traditional modesty of the British race had been a strong characteristic;' and the traditions of the race ..were best maintained. by the cultiyatiori of. this quality; ".-Our attitude should be tbwa.rds,ieace,".and: the conservation of all that :-'i'6v;. humanity at .large. 'With'inode'sty. arid quiet determination we niust-.r/teparerfbi; any eventualities, and who' could, sayv.whtit.'these might be? .In .this, spirit they'/in New' Zealand iwere ' carrying outVtheir training, and he hoped ■ that' thesa'mo:spirit; pervaded .their training iti Canada.-; When; Hiey grew Older they would,realise/more'frilly theMnspiraV Hon of .these traditions,'; which were 'the pride-Of the race, and emulate those who had gone before them in the determination' to uphi>rd;tlieni..'' The British Erirpii,. stood'for peace,■ righteousness,'.justice, ana the protection of. women and children— and it. was to; safeguard these that thpy' were asked to. prepare themselves.., (Ap-. plause.) In' conclusion; . tho' Minister, lieartily welcomed the. Vancouver, boys,' and .expressed'.his pleased surprise' that such-a fine contingent could be sent from one school. He was looking forward to seeing the school that could produce- such lads, and to meeting the inastors. (Cheers.)

: I Other Speeches. Mr! Edwar'd Tregear, a veteran of the New Zealand ; Forces, and. Mr. W. A. Beddoe (Canadian Trade .Commissioner) also spoke. - ■■«■' r ■■••■■■ Captain R. N. Davey, Officer Commanding the' Vancouver Cadets, briefly responded, and expressed the )iope that some; day thevVwould' assist to inaugurate in Canada 'those ideals of- civic government and morality which were characteristic of these dominions.:. "There are in Canada," ho said, "thousands—hundreds; of thousands .of, young,-men of the typo:you see here,'whoiaro ready to lay down their lives in the event of .any attempt being .made to alienate so much as a squaro foot .of British territory.'':' (Applause.)':

. Hakas"and "Sky-Rockeis." .' ', , The speeches were followed by a New Zealand haka, danced by the New Zealand Cadet Team, and'a. wild, "sky-rocket/.'—the college yellr-by-the Canadians; made ..a very : appropriate. response.-' 'The New Zealand ! 3>oys. ; also accorded, musical lion-' ours to.'the 'visitors .by singing a Maori, version., of--, the ..conVivial' refrain . 'For They^'are--"Jolly. 'Fellows.'",, Th'e4 followed, a', selection of patriotic airs on. trie.:grand,.organ,:by 'Mr. ..Maughan .Barnett (City.' Organist),, some wonderful by the Vancouyer ' High School Cadet drum and' trumpet' band—a ' fullyequipped . arid' highly efficient company, with drum-major and inspiriting inarch by,the;City Tramways; Band.' '-A .

Combined Displays. ; Owing to ;tho' inclement state'of the. weather the combined display.by tjio two' cadet' contingents, : and the , cadet companies from AVellington and St. Patrick's Colleges, -Wits.jjjiven. in' the Town Hall insteadjaf Park, as had previously been'arranged. .The. gallery porHon of,;the I .hall;,\vhere the -spectators; -were faccqmmddSted,'was .packed,..and in-, every, sense ;of' the,word■'. the was' an .eye-opener to: the general pubfic, while, amongst the officers present the comment' was of .a..mostt t favourable'- kind. /The pro--ceedings_ opened with rifle -exercises by j the college, cadets, under Major Matneson. Then followed a 'physical drill display.by ! the New Zealand cadet team,'various'-in-: tercsting movements,- representing the latest and. most' approved' ideas in physi--cal being; carried out with a smartness'and finish that,-to quote an expert military opinion expressed after--wards, "Could not have.-been excelled anywhere—from the soldier's point of view/it was perfect.",. The Canadian, boys, with, their drum.and trumpet band, then gave an exhibition of drill, with rifle exercises, and also ;went""-through the impressive ceremonial, of'-"trooping- the colours," a spectacle that proved to be very popular '.with the spectators. The. finale was,a display by the-band,.whose efficiency, and general excellence place it,.to again,quote military opiiiidu,'in.the very'front rank.' "You would not find better work.of this kind anywhere, in-the British Army,"-re-marked an officer of the Imperial General Staff. The drummers whirled their sticks with elaborate variations of style, while the trumpeters were really excellent. Uifle exercises by < the New Zealand l cadet team then followed, .and with a haka. by th© New Zealanders and a few more ■ "skyrockets", by the Canadians,' the proceedings came to an end, three hearty cheers being given for rho*eadets, at the call of Colonel A E.. S. Heard. ;• , The cadets,: headed, by the "Fifth's" regimental ■ band, were then marched to Government House, where they wero the ■•guests of his Excellency the Governor at afternoon'tea! -;,•. ■ In ;the evening, a social was held at tne-T.MvG.A., 'when the visitors fraternise'd; witlf' the YIM.O-A'. cadets'.'-Captain A. Ifriindi was.iin 'the. chair, and thero were 1 also present: tho Mayor (Mr. J). Jl'Lareh), Colonel K. S. Hoard,/Colonol j\, J. Collins,»an'd Lieut-Colonel Knox, and other officers..' An enjoyable evening waslpent, and interesting speeches, in an Imperialistic voin, -were delivcred'by various sneaker.?. ....— .. To-day's events. , Thi3-mbaiing. the .visiting .cadets will be taken.on an excursion round the harbour, and. in the afternoon they will be . the guests, of the' Hon. Jos. .Allen,-.trad 'Mrs.-Allen at the Town Hall. In the evening, . the management ,of the' Star ■Picture 'Theatre, .at Newlowii, will enleriniu tlio'boys'-.with an interesting prou'lamuia of, k'iuematosi'aph studiya.