CADET TRAINING

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 246, 11 July 1919, Page 5

CADET TRAINING

MINISTER. 'AND- MR. HOLLAND. The scheme of training for cadets preparing for the Territorial Force which Sir James Allen has had under consideration for some time was vehemently attacked by Mr. H. Holland, M.P., at a Labour deputation to the Minister ,on Wednesday. Mr. Holland declared that the proposal was the conscription of the lads of eighteen, that the purpose of it was to inculcate the military spirit, and that the thing was altogether bad. He also supported the declaration of the Christchurch ministers of religion' that the influence of camps was bad. The Minister and Mr. Holtand had an argument which was quite warm at times on this old question, now so very familiar to those who have heard any speeches of Mr. Holland's. _ Sir James Allen was at pains to explain once more that the scheme was his own scheme and'nobody else's, that it had not been submitted to,*tho Government. Ho also denied that the .influence of camp was bad, denied that the-youths would be likelv to learn bad language from instructors, and denied that tho purpose or tho effect of the training would be to inculcate the' military spirit. Rather tho purpose of tho training, while incidentally fitting the youth to defend his country if the need should arise, was to make him grow into a better citizen.