NEW ZEALAND'S THIRD CONTINGENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 31, 6 February 1900, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND'S THIRD CONTINGENT.

THE HOUGH EIDERS. \l ■ AUCKLAND'S CONTINGENT. SELECTING THE MEN. THE LIST OF VOLUNTEERS. j The Auckland Volunteer Drill Shed : presented a very busy appearance all j fto-day, in connection with the selec- , ition of men for Auckland's Division of . the New Zealand Hough Eiders for ,: South Africa. About a hundred, who i think of joining the contingent, were :. in attendance, and many of the gen- i eral public also asisembled. The j "More Men" Committee in Auckland j (have so far received and been pro- j anised about £ 1600 towards the ; cost of Auckland's force, which is | expected to form part of the fourth | contingent from New Zealand; and in ' addition to this many of the men who j attended this morning expressed their j willingness to provide horses, and j some also part of the necessary equip- | ment. Messrs Arthur M. Myers and j H. T. Gorrie, representing the "More | •Men" Fund Committee in Auckland, i ■were present in order to inspect the j candidates and make a list of their j qualifications. Lieut, - Col. Banks . l(Officer Commanding the Auckland ' District), Major W. B. White (No. 1 | Battalion), and Capt, W. D. Holgate j (Auckland Mounted Rifles), were also | present in order to assist in the selec- | lion of the men. !

"Men in uniform fall in," came the i order from the dapper little Serg-t.- ; Major of the Auckland Mounted Eifles, and nine men in kharkee uniforms obeyed in the Drill Shed. "All volunteers fall in!" was the next order, and upwards of seventy young men in Civilian attire joined those in uniform and formed a long single rank extending along- two sides of the Hall. Many of the volunteers for South iAfrica looked fine, hardy young fellows, and amongst them were several crack shots and many excellent crosscountry riders from the districts round Auckland. Others, again, ; could be at once picked out as unsuitable by their inferior physique. Seventy-six men in all paraded by the time the committee began the examination, and a number of others arrived afterwards. The Selection. Committee took their Beats in the officers'room in the Drill Hall, and then one by one the expectant candidates were ushered in. Questions as to name, address, age, place of birth, volunteer experience, ability to ride and shoot, and whether a horse or equipment would be provided, were : put to each applicant by Mr Myers. Captain Holgate passed the tape round each man's chest, and a number came short of the standard. Major White, who is to instruct the men in marksmanship while they are in camp, took particular note of the volunteers answers as to their shooting capabilities. From 10.30 a.m. till 1* o'clock this afternoon the committee were engaged in questioning and inspecting the men, and an adjournment was tken made'for lunclt. About half the applicants see-med to be suitable men, but they have still to undergo medical examination and the. practical shooting and riding tests. A final selection of those who passed before the judges this morning is to be made this afternoon and evening, and it is expected that the successful candidates will go into camp of instruction, at Potter's Paddock to-morrow morning. The following is the list of volunteers who were seen and questioned by the committee up to 1 o'clock this afternoon, with qualifications and other remarks:—"