“Cadets Are Not Trained for War”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 367, 30 May 1928, Page 13

“Cadets Are Not Trained for War”

DEVELOPING CITIZENSHIP MILITARY SPORTS WORK “We are not training our cadets and territorials for war, but instructing them to shoulder the responsibilities of citizenship as it applies to every phase of community life.” This statement was made by Colonel H. R. Potter, Commandant of the Northern Command, c.t a social tunction in the Lewis Eady Concert Hall last evening, when successful competitors at the athletic meetings of the Auckland Military Sports Association and the Jnter-House Girls’ Sports Association were presented with trophies. Colonel Potter said he was sorry that some of his fellow citizens, who were holding a meeting in the Town Hall the same evening with the object of raising opposition to, and ultimately doing aV(tay with, the whole military training system, had taken up such an attitude. If these people realised what it meant to train the young manhood of this country to become citizens in the true sense of the word, the speaker was sure they would not say so much. The Military Sports Association was doing a tremendous amount of good, said the commandant. During the war over 120,000 of the flower of the Dominion’s manhood had passed through his hands at Trentham; he had watched them go into camp and they were not the same men when they went away. They were built up by three months of training. A large camp did not exist here, but the Military Sports Association had taken its place in ensuring the physical and mental training of the younger generation. GERMANY FOLLOWS OUR LEAD “Our late enemy, Germany, has now realised how much Britain depends on sports in the development of the nation and last year she donated £50,000 to organisations to train the young men in the same way in which the Auckland Association is interested, namely, athletics, swimming, boxing, and physical training. If Germany realised the vital interest attaching to the training of the young manhood, how much more should we realise the same necessity.” The speaker said that he was more than pleased with the work being done in this city and the officers of the association, especially the civilian members, had to be thanked for the gap which they were filling. If the public realised the amount of good being done he was sure it would come forward and not only assist with its attendance at the various sports meetings monetarily. The association received no subsidy whatever from the Government and no assistance from the Defence Department except through the energetic co-operation of the officers themselves. About 6,000 cadets and about 5,000 territorials were in the Northern Command, which meant that a total of about 11,000 trainees received the benefits of the association.

The commandant expressed his gratification at the large attendance of members of the Inter-house Girls’ Sports Association and thanked the association for the valuable support it had given during the year.

Appreciation of the work of Lieutenant T. P. Laffey, who had been responsible for the instruction of the inter-house girls, and the success attending their displays, was expressed by Mr. T. Clark, representing the Auckland Drapers and Mercers’ Association. On behalf of the business houses from which the girls were drawn he presented Lieutenant Laffey with a silver entree dish. He also thanked the military authorities for their assistance.

The prizes foi* cadets and inter-house girls were presented by Colonel Potter, and territorial trophies by Lieu-tenant-Colonel T. H. Dawson, officer commanding the First Battalion, Auckland Regiment. During the evening numerous musical items were given.