THE FOURTH CONTINGENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 54, 5 March 1900, Page 2

THE FOURTH CONTINGENT.

| i AUCKLAND'S ROUGH RIDERS. 'departure for south AFRICA. AX ENTHUSIASTIC FAREWELL. THE SEND-OFF TO-DAY. I (Continued from page .J.) THE MAYOR'S LUNCHEON. At one o'clock the Rough Riders were entertained at luncheon by His Worship the Mayor at the Brill Hall. The .Mayor presided; on his right were His Excellency the Governor (Lord Banfurly), the Hons. the Premier (Mr Seddon), Mr Justice Conolly, Colonel Pole-Penton, Captain Wilford Smith, Hon. Chas. Hill-Trevor, Lieut. Thompson (Rough Biders), Mr A. Myers and Captain Abbott (Rough Riders); on the Mayor's left were seated Earl Beauchamp, Hon. J. 0. Ward, Colonel Banks, Captain Alexander, Mr J. 11. Withefdrd, -Major White (Auckland Infantry Battalion), Mr B. Hobbs (chairman Board of Education), Hon. Jas. Carroll, Mr F. Dillingham (American consul), Mr 11. T. Gorrie, and Lieut, Walker (Rough Riders. Amongst the guests were: liabbi Goldstein', Mr J. 11. Upton, Captain Major, Mr Jas. Kirker, Mr It. R. Hunt, Mr F. Lawry, M.H.R., BrigadeSurgeon Lieut-Colonel Dawson, Rev. W. E. Gillam. Mr S. Yaile (president Chamber of Commerce, Dr. Erson, Mr Geo. Fowlds, M.H.8., Mr F. Jackson (Union Company), Mr J. M. Brigham (Aucklanrl Harbour Board), Colonel T. Dignan, Mr V. E. Bice. Dr. King, Mr Wm. Berry, Mr T. W. Leys, Mr J. M. Geddis, Mr L D. Nathan, Major Morrow, Sir Maurice O'Borke, Hon. J. A. Tole, Mr W. J. Napier, M.H.8., Captain Ban me, Mr W. R, Whitford (Turanga), Messrs Warnock, McColl, C. E. Button, and J. C. Macky (Mayors of suburban boroughs), Mr Erskine (private secretary to the Earl of Aberdeen), City Councillors Warren, Parr, Courtney," Tudchope, Kidd, Human, Muse field, llewson, Jamieson, Entrican Grey, Salmon. Farrell, Patterson, Mr .las.'Stewart, C.E., and Inspector Cullen. After justice had been done to the good things provided by the caterer (Mr A.' F. Stilwell), several loasts Avere honoured. Mr Seddon proposed the toast of "The Greatest Sovereign our .Nation has ever known—the Queen." The company, after honouring the toast, sang the National Anthem, and gave three cheers for Her Majesty. Mr With'eford then proposed the toast of "His Excellency the Governor of New Zealand." The Governor, he said, had taken a great interest in the despatching of the contingents. He had given up a private trip round the North in order to attend the farewell to the Third Contingent, and he was now going to Dunedin to see the Fourth Contingent off. We ought lo be proud of our Governor (applause). He w^as quite sure the Governor was proud of the people over whom he presided. Mr Witheford then referred to the comments by Lord Eoberls, General French, and others upon the admirable conduct of the New Zealanders in the war, and concluded by asking those present to drink His Excellency's health. The toast was honoured with enthusiasm, the company giving three . cheers for Lord Banfurly, and cheers for Lady Banfurly and Lord Norch- . land. Lord Banfurly returned thanks for the manner in which the toast had been honoured. He said: 1 do feel [ proud of being the Governor over a people who are loyal to a man, and \ who do not think it necessary simply [to express their loyalty by little reso- ! lutions passed at small meetings, but are ready to come forward and show ! they are prepared to go to the front " and take their part in the work to be " done. (Applause.) I do not want to > trespass on any ground that may be " criticised, but I am proud to be Gover- - nor of a country with a Ministry who Ito a man have done their utmost — • their very utmost (hear, hear); whose • every word has been patriotic. (Applause). I believe if an Opposition • Ministry had been in power I should i* have been, able tp say the same of '< them. (Applause.) I do not wih it •to be thought that I am in any way ' going into party matters, but I say I this because I consider the people of i the colony in which I have the honour »to represent Her Majesty are loyal to i a man, from one end of the colony to - the other. (Cheers.) I read only this \ morning with some surprise that the i countries in Europe were beginning !to express their intentions to talk of ! intervention. Have they remembered , —if this be true—that we have not, ; been attacking the Boers? The Boers • have been attacking us, in British territory. (Applause.) We have been ; protecting British territory in the ■ past, and if we march through the ,' Orange Free State and the Transvaal .it will be our duty to decide in their - interests. (Cheers.) If this is to be • the result, of the war, it is for the ; conqueror to decide, and not for the , vanquished, by meetings held oyer . Europe, to say what should be done. (Applause.) No doubt many will say , —"You have a brave enemy, inferior in numbers to you. You are the o- \ presser," maybe they may say. But i i has our enemy fought according to , J the laws of war? How about the Red , I Cross? How about the white flag? How about those officers killed when . j the white flag has been hoisted? How , I about the very last 'report-I. am j simply going by the newspapers—the i report about the water for Ladysmith , being poisoned? (Cries of "Shame!") \ Are those the customs of war? Is \ firing into the women's laager a cusI torn of war? No! All I can say is . this, that if Europe tries to interfere, ', whatever England may say, I think that Greater Britain -will have a word ,to say in the decision. (Lour cheer- ! ing.) I feel sure lam stating the views of New Zealand and of all our ' colonies when I say that no matter what Powers may combine against us, i I believe every man in these colonies

would stand side by side with. England (applause), and Europe will see what patriotism we can show should occasion arise. (Prolonged cheering.) i beg to thank you for the cordial manner in which yon have received my remarks. Mr G. Fowlds, M.H.R., proposed the toast of "The Auckland Bough Eiders," We in New Zealand, he said,, had gained something of a reputation for being theoretictl, but in connection with this war Aye had shown we could also be practical. The body of men we were sending away that day was one of which "he wiis sure we need never be ashamed. Their eagerness to join the Contingent was evidence of the courage they possessed, and when they went o South Africa he was sure they would acquit themselves as well as those who had gone before. The toast of "The Bough Biders," coupled with the names of Captain Abbott and Lieutenant Walker, was then drunk, the company singing "Por They Are Jolly Good Fellows." Captain Abbott, in responding, relumed thanks for the enthusiastic send-off they were receiving. They were all untried men, but they all hoped to do credit to those who were sending them. He could only say that all of them would do their best. (Applause.) Lieutenant Walker also responded brief! v. The Premier then proposed the toast of "The' Governor of New South Wales." He said that New Zealand, amongst, other "failings," as some people would call them, was famed for its hospitality. We had had many visitors to the colony, and from the North Cape lo Stewart Island our people did their best to make the visits as enjoyable as possible. Our country was entitled to such visits, seeing that it was admittedly the wonderland of the Empire. And the. Governor of New South AVales, in not coining to see New Zealand, would have shown a want of appreciation and intelligence on his part. He felt sure His Excellency would be favourably impressed by the patriotism displayed all over the colony. Earl Beauchamp in responding said he could assure those present that it had been a. particular pleasure in travelling through the colony, not only to notice the direct absence of poverty, but to see the absolute prosperity of 'the people. He had also seen the loyalty which reigned throughout the whole colonies. He would not try to say which colony was most loyal, because he believed them to be all loyal together, but he would venture to say that New South Wales -would not be behind New Zealand in the matter of loyalty to their Queen and Empire. There was perhaps something particularly appropriate in the presence of the Governor of another colony on such an occasion; it was a symbol of the unity prevailing, throughout the En.pire, of the devotion felt towards Her Majesty the Queen and to wards the Empire itself. He looked forward to the lime when no British army would be complete without a colonial contingent, and when representatives of the colonies would be found taking part in the counsels of the Empire. (Applause.) He felt sure the Contingent would add to the glorious traditions of the British- army. (Applause.). The company then sang "Auld Lang Syne" and "God Save the Queen," and cheers for the Premier brought the proceedings to a close.