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TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 1977
ACCORDING TO MR. FORTUNE, THE ACCENT OF TRAINING IN THE CAMP WILL BE ON RAMBLING, ORIENTEERING, AND FOREST CONSERVATION.
+OUR INTENTION IS TO GIVE THE CADETS A CHALLENGING BUT INTERESTING OUTDOOR LIFE AT THE CAMP, + HE SAID.
MR. FORTUNE SAID THE C.A.S. WAS THINKING OF TURNING A FORMER PADDY FIELD IN THE SITE INTO A SOCCER PITCH TO ENABLE MORE SPORTS ACTIVITIES TO BE PROVIDED FOR THE CADETS SPENDING THEIR WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS THERE.
TO COMPLEMENT THE LAND-BASED CAMP IN YUEN TUN, HE CONTINUED A SEA-ORIENTED ACTIVITY CAMP SITE WILL BE OPENED IN THE TAI TAN AREA OF SAI KUNG IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.
THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES HAS ALREADY ALLOCATED A SIX-ACRE SITE AT TAI TAN TO THE C.A.S. FOR SUCH PURPOSES.
WATER SPORT ACTIVITIES WILL FEATURE PROMINENTLY IN THIS CAMP. THESE WILL INCLUDE CANOEING, SAILFISH SAILING, LIFE-SAVING, SKIN- DIVING AND WATER SKIING,
MEANWHILE, THE CADET CORPS WILL EXPAND INTO THE NEW TERRITORIES TO TAKE IN TUEN MUN AND YUEN LONG. A CADET UNIT IS TO BE SET UP IN TUEN MUN NEXT MONTH, FOLLOWED BY YUEN LONG IN SEPTEMBER.
THE CADET CORPS IS AT PRESENT MADE UP OF SOME 2,000 BOYS AGED BETWEEN 14 AND 18. THEY ARE DIVIDED INTO 20 UNITS, WITH 100 CADETS EACH.
THE AIM OF THE CORPS IS TO HELP BOYS DEVELOP, TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF THEIR CIVIC RESPONSIBILITIES, TO PREPARE THEM FOR ENROLMENT INTO ANY OF THE GOVERNMENT ADULT AUXILIARY SERVICES OR REGULAR DISCIPLINED SERVICES AND TO PROVIDE ORGANISED CAMPS, SPORTS AND EXPEDITIONS SO THAT THE IR LEISURELY HOURS ARE GAINFULLY EMPLOYED.
CADETS ARE TAUGHT SUCH BASIC SKILLS AS TREKKING, FOREST CONSERVATION, CYCLING, CAMPING, LIFE SAVING, MOUNTAINEERING AS WELL AS MOUNTAIN SEARCH AND RESCUE TECHNIQUES.
FOR THE 17 TO 18 AGE GROUP, MORE ADVANCED COURSES ARE HELD IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, FIBREGLASS CANOE MAKING AND OTHER ALLIED SUBJECTS.
THE EXISTING RECRUITMENT POLICY OF THE CORPS IS TO TAKE IN BOYS FROM VARIOUS PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES, CROWDED TENEMENT BLOCKS AND SQUATTER AREAS IN THE URBAN DISTRICTS WHERE THE NEED FOR A PROPER AND HEALTHY CHANNEL WITH WHICH TO RELEASE THE BOYS' EXCESSIVE ENERGY IS KEENLY FELT+, MR. FORTUNE SAID.
CADETS PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE. THEY CARRY OUT SUCH DUTIES AS CROWD CONTROL AND FORESTRY PATROLLING. IN ADDITION, THEY ALSO HELP IN SUCH CIVIC PROJECTS AS THE 'CLEAN HONG KONG CAMPAIGN', 'KEEP OUR BEACHES CLEAN CAMPAIGN', THE 'ANTI- NARCOTICS DRIVE AND THE WALK FOR A MILLION, AMONG OTHERS.
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