SNAPSHOTS.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4445, 5 August 1909, Page 2

SNAPSHOTS.

By Sharpshooter.

Commander Blunt tells us that a large number of young New Zealanders, desirous of entertaining the navy have been rejected on the ground of physical unfitness. This comes as an unpleasant surprise. Probably his remarks need qualification, but they can’t be altogether explained away. Eun the eye over the youths in a country town. You see some sturdy lads; but “ weeds ” not a few —not seldom poorer men than their mothers —if one may say that. These “ weeds ” are under-sized ; growth stopped at the dawn of manhood ; complexion frosty; expression furtive yet “cheeky.” They have contracted the cigarette habit; often a worse habit that must be nameless. Vile habits are sapping their physical, mental, and moral vigour, and leaving them mere parodies of men. Their conversation is of horses (which they can’t ride) and of football (which they can’t play.) They are acquainted with several methods of ejecting saliva (on the footpath) and their jokes are unclean. Up to the time of leaving school there was nothing hopelessly bad about them; caught in the “ cub ” stage they might have been “ licked into shape.” But during four or five critical years they run wild. Their fathers have no influence over them ; don’t appear to have the slightest feeling of respousibiHty concerning them. Home is the place where they sleep and eat. Can we do anything for them ? We can. Draft them into a Cadet corps the day they leave school. Put them under discipline ; no make-believe about it; kind but firm ; free from the mawkish sentimentality of the illiterate wiseacre. Keep them from the devil by keeping them employed. Give them a stiff course of gymnastics. Drill them. Teach them to shoot. Compel them to attend technical and continuation classes. By the time their day’s work is done they will be tired enough to enjoy wholesome sleep. Handle them for five or six years. The absolute “ wasters may be “wasters” sti’l; but the majority of your “ cubs ” will turn out men.