E.—ld

Session 11. 1906. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: PUBLIC-SCHOOL CADETS (REPORT ON THE). [In continuation of E.-1d, 1905.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. EXTRACT FROM THE TWENTY-NINTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION. Military and Physical Drill. The Education Act provides that " in public schools provision shall be made for the instruction in military drill of all boys " ; and it is declared to be the duty of the Board in each district " to cause physical drill to be taught to all boys and girls over the age of eight years attending the public schools in the district." The number of children returned as receiving instruction in drill in the public schools of the colony at the end of the year was 127,386. The term " drill " here must be taken to include physical and disciplinary exercises. The report of the Officer Commanding the Public-school Cadets forms an Appendix (E.-1d) to this report. There were on the 30th March, 1906, 264 cadet corps, with a strength of 14,115 members, equipped with the "model rifles" (dummies) which have been imported the Department for purposes of drill, and with a percentage of miniature Martini-Henry rifles for target practice. The number of cadet companies in the several districts was as follows : Auckland, 53 ; Taranaki, 10 ; Wanganui, 26 ; Wellington, 31; Hawke's Bay, 32 ; Marlborough, 5 ; Nelson, 13 ; Grey, 7 ; Westland, 3 ; North Canterbury, 17 ; South Canterbury, 9 ; Otago, 38 ; Southland, 8; sections attached to corps, 12 : total, 264. The number of battalions formed was 28. The number of models on issue to the Boards at the end of the year was 12,450, and of miniature rifles, 950. At the end of the year the companies in the North and South Islands respectively competed for two challenge shields presented by the Government. The conditions were that each competing squad should consist of ten cadets, all belonging to the same company or detachment; each company to have seven shots at 100 yards (standing), 150 yards (kneeling), and 200 yards (lying), the local range being used in each case. The North Island shield was won by the Onehunga Cadet Company with the very high score of 735 out of a possible 840 ; the South Island shield was won by the Waimate Company with a score of 642. Valuable presentations for competition in rifle shooting by the cadets have been made by the Colonial Ammunition Company and the directors of the Weekly Press. The expenditure for the year 1905 was £5,704 9s. 7d., made up as follows : — £ s. d. £ s. d. Salary of Commanding Officer .. .. .. 307 10 0 Clerical assistance . . .. .. .. .. 171 13 6 Travelling-expenses of Commanding Officer .. .. 262 5 7 741 9 1 Capitation .. .. .. . . .. 1,435 15 0 Arms, accoutrements, ammunition, &c. £3,594 19 5 Less recoveries .. .. 496 14 9 3,098 4 8 Rent, &c, of rifle ranges .. .. .. .. 135 14 1 Railway fares of cadet corps .. .. .. 151 511 Contingencies .. .. .. . . .. 51 8 4 —— 4,872 8 0 Instructors of teachers' classes .. .. .. 36 5 0 , Railway fares of teachers attending instruction classes, and of instructors .. .. .. .. .. 54 7 6 90 12 6 5,704 9 7 1— E. Id.