Cadets unite to celebrate 150 years

Sea Cadets perform the haka with gusto.

It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for armed forces cadets, when three units came together to march in Whangarei for the first time in 40 years.

Forty cadets and eight officers, along with the Whangarei Brass Band and a police escort, marched up Cameron St at around 11.30am on Saturday, to celebrate 150 years of cadets in New Zealand.

The cadets then performed the New Zealand Defence Force haka in the Cameron St Mall, in front of Whangarei MP Shane Reti, parade commander Arapeta Ley said.

"The cadets loved the opportunity to perform the haka in front of Shane Reti. We got feedback that it was one of the best hakas he'd ever seen."

The march included 14 cadets and three officers from the No 20 Squadron Air Training Corps, two officers and 13 cadets from the Whangarei District Cadet Unit (Army), and three officers and 13 cadets from TS Diomede Sea Cadets.

Image 1 of 10: 04oct14 - Cadet Parade, Whangarei Town Center, Leading Cadet, Hone Kena 18, Sea Cadets.

From Cameron St Mall the cadets marched to Forum North, where they were be reviewed by Mayor Sheryl Mai.

"We managed to get to Forum North just before the rain started. [The cadets] were also really happy to be reviewed by the mayor," Mr Ley said.

"One of the sayings around the station is that 'we are probably Whangarei's best kept secret'," he said.

"It's a great youth organisation. We are training kids to be great leaders in the community."

The first cadet unit in New Zealand was formed at Dunedin High School, now called Otago Boys' High School, in 1864.