MILITARY BARRACKS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 214, 29 May 1918, Page 5

MILITARY BARRACKS

CADETS AT WELLINGTON COLLEGE. 4. military instruction ■ barracks was opened at Wellington College yesterday morning nnder the control of the Director of Military Training, LieutenantColonel ,T. L. Sleeman, I.G.S. About •100 cadets paraded, and were inspected by Colonel Sleeman, who had associated with him Major A. A. Corrigau (Officer Commanding Group 5), Captain F. M. Rentier (Second-in-Command). and Captain Knight (Acting Staff Officer). Addressing tho officers and non-com-missioned officers, Colonel Sleeman explained that tho barracks, which would extend over four days, had been arranged with tho object of 6tandardisjngf methods of instruction and encouraging the cadets to work for commissioned rank. Tho barracks held elsewhere had been very successful. Many of tho cadets mifiiit yet bo called upon to servo in. the Expeditionary Force during the prosent war; others would l>o members of the New Zealand Army when peace had been restored. It was greatly to tho advantage of the- young soldiers and of tlio country they were to servo, in any case, that the training should begin early, and that the methods of instruction adopted should be Eonnd. Much training was required to produce good officers, and if the cadets took thoir work soriously now they would acqulro the neces- j sary knowledge and experienco by tho time they reached mature years. Colonel Sleeman mentioned that ho had been one of the five Imperial officers selected originally to form the Officers' Training Corps in England in 1908. Ho had retained chargo of tho work for sit years, and ono of tho things he had!' learned was that tho training of an of-; ficor should begin not later than the age' of fifteen if tho best results wero to b# secured in a citizen army. Tho officers of professional armies took a concentrat- ■ od. of study in two years; but; traiuing of this kind was not possible in. a Territorial army, and it was necessary, therefore, to spread tho training over a period of six years. There was no doubt that the fuluro efficiency of. tlio Territorial Army of New Zealand would dopend upon the efficiency of tho cadet forces. Tho cadets were kept hard at work during the day, some doing squad and company drill, while others wero exercised on the hills behind tho college. Tho boys worked with evident, enthusiasm. Tlio barracks will bo continued to-dny and will close on Friday.