THE CADET CAMP.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8121, 28 May 1906, Page 2

THE CADET CAMP.

A MOUNTAIN OUT OF A MOLEHILL. As mieht reasonably have been expectod, tho discussion at the Education Board meeting, and tho tone of the diftorent resolutions submitted, have resulted m Major Dempsey forwarding his resignation as officer commanding the Taranaki Cadet Battalion. This step is much to bo regretted, and might easily have been avoided, if some of the Board s members had gone to work in a different manner. It is a privilege of British citizenship to bo heard in defence before being censured or condemned, and in dealing with schoolteachers this course is explicitly prescribed by the regulations; but in this case Mr Dempsey has very plainly beeu condemned unheard, and without any real evidence being brought in support of the sweeping charges made. Mr Maunder showed by his first motion that he was entirely in ignorance of the circumstances surrounding Si?,, . to ? st drin k'ng complained of. btill it is scarcely the duty of a newspaper to adduce the evidence in connection with the matter. A knowledge of the circumstances shows that an injustice is being done, not only to Mr Dempsey, but to all the teajhers ffho hold commissions in the Taranaki Cadet Battalion.

First of all, the toast-drinking was not "open," nor was it done in the presence of the cadets or in a way that the cadets would ever have known of it but for Mr Maunders persistence in ventilating—no doubt in good faith—his suppositions grievance in public, without first making proper enquiry into the circumstances. The facts are that on the last night of the camp, after all the boys had retired to their tents, the commissioned oflicors met to spend asocial hour or so, to discuss matters military, and, as a matter of course, to conduct a little "mutual admiration society." It i s admitted that there was a little refreshment there—one bottle amongst so many. But of this not one of the lads was aware, and they would still have been in ignorance of it, and unconcerned about it, had their cariosity not been urousod by the statements at the Board table. All tho gallery talk about the sin of teaching tho cadets to drink is, therefore, unworthy and beside the' mark. The Board wero not justified in prying into the privacy of the messtent under such circumstances. Not so, however, with the haka, or imitation of i> haka, permitted to be danced by tho cadets on tho Sunday afternoon. Sabbath desecration is altogether to common, The observance of Sunday as a " day of rest" is one that opens up a very wide field for discussion, but it is quite safe to assert that the religious observance of the Sunday does no one any harm, and is beneficial t} tho children in regulating in conduct. It was indeed unfortunate Uuit this " haka " wits allowed by the Colonel, who was, it is said, quite aware of the arrangements made, but far too much fuss has been mado of this incident, which, when subjected to investigation, resolves itself into a few lads from Stratford going through some evolutions meant to represent a Maori haka, which performance " con taught them a little while previously. The boys were anxious to "i* off " before tho Hon C. H Mills, who was a visitor to the camp during the afternoon, and this was only an outlet for their exuberant spirits, the incident was a trifling one, and it would havo boen more judicious and tactful on the part of LieutenantOolonol Loveday to havo prevented the dancing of the haka,

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