VOLUNTEERS AND CADETS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 235, 28 September 1908, Page 2

VOLUNTEERS AND CADETS.

ELLOUIsED BY MINISTER EOll h I'Oli DEFENCE. By Telegraph.—Press Associatiou. Chrislchurch, Last Xigiu. Oil the occasion of his periorniiug the formal opening ceremony ill connection with the military bazaar al the King Edward liaiTaclls yesterday, the c Hon. li. ileNab had something to say s on tile question of Dominion ticicncc. -i He was particularly gratified, the \ speaker remarked, to witness the splen- : did turn-out of volunteers at the par- * ado earlier in the day. lie wouiu like ! to say in reference to the Canterbury .' voluuleers'that ■nothing struck him, i apart from the number of men on par- ' ade, more than their splendid physique. Next, to that, lie was impressed with the splendid discipline of the cadet* and the perfect marching he saw on the parade ground. The officer commanding tiie ili-.trict told the speaker t'lr.it the number of defence cadets in the district was only something like 470. In both Wellington ami Auckland the number was in excess of I OHO, and on hi.s return to Wellington lie would investigate t ; he t|ticsUon. With the quantity of material at their disposal, and . the splendid results following upon \

the drilling of young fellows who joined the defence cndvts, he said it was a national loss that there were 000 or 700 young fellows who should be in the defence force who were not rv.p-r----sented that day. At the present nine there was considerable difference of opinion as to what form the defence of the Dominion should take in the years to come. No one knowing anything of the need of discipline and command, and looking upon the gathering of volunteers present that day. could fail to be convinced that the defence scheme of t'he future must he largely developed from the point of view of tile cadets. The sight of the cadets recalled the speaker's days in the ranks of such corps when he and the oflicer commanding the Canterbury district (Colonel Hawkins) joined a cadet corps together and learned their drill and the liest part of their discipline in its ranks. It was a noble profession, to be able !o confer a knowledge of what constituted defence, to be able to bear a part in the defence of their country in time of trouble, ami to prove a useful unit when that time came. If he had a contempt for any one. man in this country to-day, it was for the man who had , neglected the opportunity for training . himself for defence, but had stood idly ', by allowing (he advantages to pass, I and who if called upon would prove ab- , solutely of no use upon the field of [ battle, lie predicted that the time , would conic when men who were not ( -prepared to put aside their hours or , days or years in qualifying for the eflicient defence of their country would , be ostracised by those who did. He , congratulated C'olnne, Hawkins upon j Ins command, and on their physique , and discipline. He hoped before' long that Colonel Hawkins would command I a r»!v:i!or number of men in this dis- . trict as lit as the men he saw before , him.