NEW ZEALAND CONTINGENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 63, 15 March 1900, Page 9

NEW ZEALAND CONTINGENTS.

THE FIFTH CONTINGENT

Great dissatisfaction exists at the

Fifth. Contingent Mounted Infantry camp at Potter's Paddock in connection with the .summary dismissal of about thirty members of flic contingent yesterday afternoon by Lieat.Colonel Hanks, officer commanding the district. During' the afternoon Col. Banks had some 33 out of the 100 men in camp paraded, and. informed these troopers that as they had failed to pass the shooting- tests they would have to leave the camp. Some of the men were also, he said, not good enough, riders. This news caused much angry comment amongst the volunteers, who had been under the impression that they were accepted as members of the contingent. Owing to the remarks made by some of the men the whole of them were at once ordered to leave the camp. The men complain that the shooting" test was not a fair one, inasmuch as they were not given an opportunity of any practice beforehand, and were required to fire (standing position, three shots at the 200 yds range) with obsolete Mar-tini-Henrys, only a very small number of ■ weapons being available tor the whole eighty men, so that the game rifles were used over and over again. They consider that they should have had another and fairer trial. The men who were dismissed were mostly from country .districts, and they were put to considerable hardship and inconvenience, ftome of them had been in camp almost a fortnight, were making good progress in their drill, and, in fact, counted upon their inclusion in the contingent as a certainty. It is considered that Ihe men should have been given another chafiee—at any rate, those of them who appeared to be suitable volunteers.

NEW PLYMOUTH, this- day

The New Plymouth and Wuitara sections of. the Fourth Contingent left this morning' foi' Wellington.

WELLINGTON, this day

The ''More Men" Committee decided to entertain the local section of the Fourth Contingent, at lunch previous to their depart lire on Saturday.

DU.NEDIN. Wednesday

Two of the Auckland sections of the contingent arrived this evening-. Eight others, with -10 horses, had to .stay at Oamaru. through a block on the railway, but they will come on early in the morning-.