CADETS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 126, 11 April 1862, Page 4

CADETS.

We reprinted a few da 3's ago an article on ■'Cndets" from the Canterbury Press, by no means because we concurred in all its views, but because it appeared to us a tolerably correct echo of sentiments on tlis subject we from time to time have heard expressed by certain colonists, while suffering from attacks of dyspepsia, or from some other provocative of bad humor. Without calling in question the truth of.all the-writer's remarks, still we cannot help thinking that they are generally characterised by an obvious want of depth, an undue amount of bitterness and asperity, and by too much of that feeling, alas ! too common in human nature, of which some people are at times, unconsciously to themselves, possessed, which is expressed in the facetious cant phrase of "Hit him hard, he has got no friends." This is certainly an important subject, and one which being somewhat akin to a great social question which has created much interest at home, is not without considerable difficulties. But the style in which the Press has handled the question is altogether of too savage a nature to bring conviction to the minds of any who have lived in a colony ; and the feelings will remain in the innermost recesses of the minds of most of its readers, that the topic has not been treated in the strictly fair and impartial manner it deserves. The gist of the observations of the writer seems to tend, to the establishment of the creed, that no young gentlemen should come to n colony unless they have money in possession (which appears in his opinion to cover all their errors, however multitudinous) or in expectancy. We suspect, by the way, that Cadets without a snug little property of the latter description woul.l be rather difficult to find. Now, whatare the grounds for this conclusion ? Is the writer in I the Prest acting as an advocate for the Cadets or for colonial society when he arrives at it ? ' lie professes to be writing in the interest of: both orders. We think we can point out fallacies in the premises of our cotitem- : porary in the arguments he adduces for both clients, in which case we submit that his conclusion is wholly unsound.

Professedly in the interest, then, of the Cadets, the writer observes that " if any young man has a tendency to go wrong in England, he will be certain to do so in a colony; that all the restraints which the usages of polite ■iociety, the intercourse with friends, the influences of home, the company of refined and educated women, impose upon the manners -uid conduct of a young man, that all such restraints are greatly weakened in a colnni-.il community." He goes,on to say that''if a man has a tendency to drink in England, he will probably die of delirium tremeiis here: if he has accumulated debts which he coulil not pay in England, he will acquire money under false pretences here ; in short, whatever la man is at home, he will be, more so, here."

Those who have lived for any time i:i a colony will at once perceive the error in these remarks. Allow that a youth at home lias been guilty of great extravagance, idleness, or thoughtlessness, or even of intemperance and licentiousness, and if we allow this, we think that we go at least far enough for the great majority who land here; we utterly deny that the influences of a colony are calculated to increase these vices in him, especially if he land without money. Common sense assures us to the contrary. What! can he indulge himself in them here to the same extent, when clean away from all old associations: when he is compelled to earn his bread by the daily exercise, to a greater or less extent, of the virtues of prudence, frugality, industry and fortitude ; when he knows that his very life depends on his own exertions, and that he can no longer lean on the assistance of overindulgent friends and relatives; and when the spur to the exercise of all -his faculties is daily and hourly applied? Could a man possibly have stronger incentives to exertion ? We sadly fear that if the influence of refined and educated women had no reforming influence on the young delinquent at home, they would not have much more here, in this stage of his career. But he has what he.more requires, a stronger restraining influence, the rough but bracing training which the world administers to them who are thrown altogether on their own resources for the first time. The fact is, that a colony is tho best chance there happens to be for a young man of this description", and if those intentions and restraints are not sufficient to, change him for the better, nothing else on earth will; and very happily we see that they do so in a great ma-

, jority of cases: And we find that even the . ivriter"in""the Press argues with us here, , though not inteiUionallj', for what is his description which he intends to hold up as n hor--5 rihle climax to his readers of the condition of ■ cadets after ten years of this training? Ac ■ carding, to him they are " hard-featured. : course-drained, vulgar-tongued men," sure , signs that they have heen exerting themselves r, in a manly way for an honest livelihood, but i the last-compound adjective does not follow \ '", YVJiose' whole talk is of bullocks, sheep, nnd : horses," :i certain proof that they now attend ) to their business, and is probably far more im- • proving and useful than the conversation of ; many of these yoimg men while at home. Is s nrtt the delicate-minded writer in the Press, ■ here a thought Too refined, t For those .who mingle with mankind. IHe says they are " not a penny richer.' N"ow, many thousands of those inured to toi 1 from early childhood are in the same condition, though there will be no doubt at all upon . the mind of any colonist, that at the very least, the same proportion of the cadet class, rise by their own unaided exertions above their first condition in the colony, as of other classes But the young gentleman is richer in experience, and in capacity for exeriion, than he was before, two attainments which he will no' fail to turn to profitable account some day, if : ever he gets the chance. A hundred pounds to him now would be of more service than thousands would Wave been before. lint, according to the Press, he is "far.lower iv all those internal qualities," High thoughts and amiable words. We will partly give in to our opponent 1 about " amkble words," especially should the '■ young colonist's business for the time be that of coaxing a team of obdurate bullocks to do ■ their duty, but we prefer, after' all, amiable : deeds. We nre of opinion—an opinion which. we believe, will be endorsed by all rightr minded people (not including a few over sensitive old ladies, or dandies with nerves too delicately strung)—that the reformed scapegrace referred to has better aspirations, and more real worthiness, than he had before; as 'it is more honorable and manly for young : men to earn their own living, even if they do it by the sweat of their brow, than to impoverish their friends and relations. We believe . that he has a far more healthy desire of gain than he ever had before, even if that desire i.!expres?ed in no other way than by endeavors to beat his' co-workers in the neatness with ■ which he can fence a piece of ground, or in 'proficiency in stock-riding. | Let not parents and guardians or cadets I therefore be discouraged. Hy a wise dispensaI tion of a merciful Providence (happily more merciful than churlish man with " his tricks which make the angels weep") one use of colonies would appear to be, to open a door of escape and of reformation to many who without, it, bound down by old influences and associations, might have been crushed beyond redemption. But the Press very truly says there is another light in which to view the question, and we will now come to that part of the subject. Weak, as we will prove it to be, we admit that our opponent's argument is strongest here. The writer strongly discourages the visits of cadets to the colony on the ground of the harm done to society by them. "Transported social criminals," lie calls them. By the way, do the majority of young gentlemen who laud here, who have gone somewhat astray during the years of hot blood, and immature judgment, deserve so harsh a term as is here applied to them by this second Apeinantus ? They may in some cases truly, and far be it from us to excuse their short comings, but "If every one got his desert, who should 'scape a -whipping." We wonder whether the severe and unmerciful writer in the P?-ess would, or whether he would have to cry pecepvi like many-more! But we digress. It may be said that our remarks as to the usefulness of the colonies to cadets, might be made with equal propriety in reference to convicts, but that here another interest, that of general society, has been com polled to step in. and in self-defence forbid their visitations. But are the cases similar ? AVhy was colonial society forced to forbid the visits of convicts ? For the simple reason that amongst those men. although their reformation was more frequent than otherwise, there was a far greater per ccntage of crime highly injurious to society than amonsr the rest of the community. The influence also that those men exerted was of the most pernicious character, and the principles spread by them most baneful to the rest of the colonists. If it had not been for these unanswerable reasons, as in a colony there is a niche for nearly every sort of man, society could not fairly have protested against their admission nor would it have done so. A whole community seldom exerts itself to take a decided stand against an \abuse unless with strong reason on its side. But lest thequerulous tones of a few should be titken for the voice of the community, we will proceed with our argument. Are there many murderers, highway robbers, burglars, and pickpockets amongst cadets ? Is there a far greater proportion of cunning, astute swindfers amongst them than amotjgst other classes ? To touch on more venial faults, are there mon defaulters or contractors of debts that cannot be paid, in this than in any other colouin class ? We have ashrewd idea that the credit of most cadets is reduced to nil when they arrive here, so that is not very possible. Truth and common sense have only one reply to these queries, which have absurdity on the face of them. If the writer in the Press could prove that the majority of the young gentlemen who arrive have "much worse principles than others, and that, they labor to disseminate them by example and precept, we allow that he would establish a strong ca*e. and that their ingress ought to be discouraged as much as possible. But this we den}', and we can only appeal to "eneral experience in refutation of the monstrosity of the assertion or insinuation. Asa rule, when the cadet does not improve by the discipline of the colonies, it is himself who is the principal sufferer, and it is to himself he is the greatest enemy. If the majority of theyoung gentlemen colonists were of worse principles than the rest of the community, why should the cadet "with a little capital " or " some expectations," be encouraged to come by our contemporary and by them he represents, while " the transported social criminal" with an empty purse is so severely reprobated. The young man with a little capital would have had more influence, we should have supposed, for the dissemination of his pernicious principles. Is the result of their visit to these colonies (for we perceive the Press does not intend t« confine its remarks entirely to Canterbury) a universal pauperdom amongst, them ? Colonists need not be told that the condition is unknown amongst healthy men of any class in the colonies. As an advocate in the interests of society, the Press makes an objection which is easily disposed of. lie protests against a youths' landing with letters of introduction to older colonists, who, perhaps were cadets themselves on their entrance to colonial life, from friends of friends. The Press knows, at the same time, or ought to know,'how'lightly'the obligation of hosp'i-

tality sits on the receivers of most of these billets, and~how perfectly the old colonist suits his convenience, taste, or ability (and we do not much blame him) as to whether he- ' does anything" for the cadet or not. He rieed not in a country where high wages arc .riven 'o ordinary workmen he too sympathetic for those unfortunate squatters, who take sadets.ibr.a short time on their runs,, although "they are lagging about doing very little work, abandoning the ordinary wages of labor in consideration of being esteemed gentlemen.' Hits is submitted to not a moment longer than is agreeable, and the cadet who, we will allow, i-s not doing as a novice the work of an old hand (nor is he getting the pay of one) is in the meantime learning a useful business. But enough of this. We know not whether we should have noticed the article in question at all, had a little more moderation been observed in its strictures. We have dwelt thus long on it because it was calculated to excitt notice, by the interest attaching to a subjec often mooted, and to mislead people here and at home by its' plausibility and extreme ex aggeration. Far be it from us that we should seek to exclude young gentlemen from the natural outlet of the colonies, although their conduct may have been culpably wild at home, any more than any other class, with inferior education, and similar youthful defects. Is it going too far to say that a certain versatility and restlessness, which sometimes alone unfits a young man for the more routine labors of the old country, could ill be spared as one of the component parts of the colonial character: We believe that the immigration to the colonies of the majority of these young men i> not, even when they are penniless, to bi sweepingly deprecated on the ground of tingeneral interests, while, for a period at least, it is of the highest advantage to the cadets themselves.

It will be scon by an advertisement published hi another column, that the friends of Capt. M'Leanof the Aldinga, will meet this evening, at tin Criterion Hotel, for the purpose of considering the most appropriate form for the proposed testimonial to that gentleman.

We observe that men have already been set tc work to clear away the bush that has so lonj; sheltered the Manse section from the public gaze It is evident that the new lessees of allotment iire determined to lose no time in converting tliit valuable land to a profitable use.

We regret to notice that in laying the new metal in Princes-street, the contractors are spreading it without first scraping oft' the mud, the consequence of which is that almost as soon at laid the metal is lost in the soil. It would be very easy to remove thfi surface mud before .spreading the metal, and thus ensure a better, ab well as a more durable, road.

A deputation waited on the Superintendent, on Wednesday afternoon, witli a request that hi would take the chair on the occasion of a dinnei to be given to A. G. Burns, Esq, by the workiin men of Dunedin, as an evidence of their appreciation of his exertion on behalf of the eighc houi movement. The deputation explained, that tin. object of the Association was to restrict, as far u» possible, the evil results of long continuous working, by which man is converted into a machine, being incapable of devoting any time either U. mental cultivation or the education af a family. This object they wished to obtain by the power 01 persuasion. The Superintendent said he quite agreed with the deputation in their views, as to the expediency of restricting the hours of manual labor within reasonable bounds, and most cordially wished the Society every success, but hi must thankfully decline the position they requested him to take. He expressed the hope that* the success of so good a cause would not bi jeopardised by any combination to interfere will; the rules which regulate the intercourse between capital and labour, such combination being ruinous to the mechanic, and seldom, if ever successful, an.l, moreover, infringing the liberty which every man possesses of employing his labor in the manner which lie considers best.

The burlesque of the "Prince and the Peri" continues to prove a great attraction at the Theatre. There was a first-rate house last night.

In another column appears a verbatim report oi the first sitting of the Commission appointed to arbitrate the apportionment of the debt between die Provinces of Otago and Southland. We hav<. given the report in full both on account of its importance, and because owing to the detention of DiMenzies, the Superintendent of Southland, win: is believed to be on his way down, there was no representative of that Province present, and tin. report may be of use to him on his arrival.

Our readers will notice from our advertising columns, that the sittings of the Supreme Court will commence for criminal cases ou the Bth May and for the dispatch of civil cases on the I9t May, on which days all persons under recognizances to appear, must be present.

It is announced that the Molyneux Races will take place at the Molyneux Ferry on Wednesday, the 16th inst. There are only three races down on the programme, which will be found in oui advertising columns, but it is understood that there will be several private matches.