CADET TRAINING

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 124, 19 February 1919, Page 8

CADET TRAINING

Sir,—As a humble contributor on the new cadet training scheme I am surprised nnd not a little flattered to find that it takes an editorial, a special inter, view, and. "senior officer" to combat my point of view in your Tuesday morning edition. Of course 1 do not for one instant imply that this is more than mere coincidence, but niethinks "they do protest too much"! ■ ■' '

Allow me briefly to reply to some of the arguments produced by the adherents of this new .scheme, but before doing so to assure you that I have not the slightest trace of personal animus against the Director of Military 'Braining—rather the reverse.' No one knows better thanmyself what he has done, and doubtless still will do. Nevertheless I'think'l am perfectly right in pointing out "where, in my opinion, a decided weakness in the whole, system exists—namely, the practi-. cal desertion of country cadet training* Colonel Campbell admits this, and I endorse it firom personal knowledge. But why is this so? In wartime country drill centres closed down because the staff was so busy with Expeditionary Force work, nnd also on the ground of economy. Is this to continue always? Because the problem of the country cadet is hard, is it to be shelved indefinitely? Nor am I convinced that a military organisation is the ideal one to implant those high principles of citizenship which are aimed at'. 1 "Surely the home, tho school, and church should be better able to haudlo the moral and spiritual side of citizenship? Is it intended to subjugate all these'agencies to the military? I never disputed Captain Brock's undoubtedly very high qualifications, but I still persist that experts cannot be created in a few weeks' time. ■ Tho course at present running in Trentham is not numerically a success, I believe, and-, it is- not surprising that this is so, for it is extremely hard for a youth or young man to leave his'work in peace time for weeks on end to attend such a course, say, from-.the South Island.

if a merchant or farmer could spare an assistant for several weeks in the year he couldprobably. dispense with him altogether. No. The class must move from centre to centre to do any rejlly useful work. At present the expenses of attendance nt same arc more cr less wasted, in my opinion

I hope witli all my heart that the new scheme, is a success. Colonel Campbell, as usual, is absolutely on the right track. It should not be left to private individuals to' pay for any portion of cadet training, and the encouragement by the donation of prizes and trophies foe intercompany competitions is surely a part of cadet training which should be extended by the Government. Without making boys "pot hunters," awards for efficiency are an incentive lo individual keenness. ( . . ' That, this question of cadet training appeals to thousands all over the Dominion—that it will be one of the planks of more than one political party'and be aired and sifted on the hustings shortly— cannot be denied. I for one am going to follow it up and support as best I can the scheme, where it seems to me on correct lines, and condemn it where it fails. "Senior Officer' , and others nothwithstanding. It remains to be seen if tin's Dominion will tolerate an i-xpensive military .organisation being maintained largely, if not entirely, to run a. demilitarised cadet system. We all know that .tho cadet of to-day is the territorial of tomorrow. A war lias just been fought— largely for the sake of rendering future wars impossible, for th« reduction, in other words; of armamauts. This reduction must come in New Zealand. It hasn't yet, but it is full time it did. An organisation in New Zealand exists to s.eo that it does, and this organisation will make itself felt or I nm very much mistaken.—l am, etc., S. ■JIILES.o