FAREWELLING THE ROUGH RIDERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 67, 20 March 1900, Page 5

FAREWELLING THE ROUGH RIDERS.

A large crowd of several hundreds of people assembled at the Quay-st. No. 2 jetty this afternoon in order to see the first detachment of Aueklanders for the Fifth Contingent take their departure by the s.s. Mararoa for Wellington.

Lieut. Shaw and his men took up their station on the hurricane deck and were duly photographed there. As the steamer moved off the crowd loudly cheered the young soldiers, and the detachment gave cordial cheers for Lieut.-Col. Hanks (who was amongst those present on the wharf), and for Lieut. Potter. The men wore their blue jerseys, the working uniform, not having yet received their uniforms. Their horses had been shipped this morning, under the supervision ot Lieut. Cotter.

At present there are TG men remaining under canvas at Epson).

DEPARTURE O. "A' DETACHMEXT

By the s.s. Mararoa this afternoon a detachment ot la troopers of the Fifth Contingent of mounted infantry left Auckland for Wellington, en rout.' to South Africa. Lieut. Shaw (who has had service in the Imperial and Canadian forces wont in charge of the detachment, which consisted of the following- volunteers: — Sergeant K.Cuhoun, Acting-Corporal Lewis Limmer, Troopers James Witson. Arthur Allen, Fred. Bexar, Charles Chiton. .Murdoch Sutherland. Thos. Mickey, Alf. Eudge, Eric Potter, Arthur Braithwaite, Henry J. MacDonald, John V. McDonald. Thomas Murdoch, James MeKee.

Lieut. Shaw, in charge of the detachment, is I. years of age. and has had IS years service as an Imperial soldier and a volunteer. In ISSI he enlisted in the Loyal West Kent Regiment, and in ISSS he served through the Louis Kiel insurrection in Canada.. and was for the next few years in the Canadian forces. For the last three years he has been connected with volunteering in New Zealand. Twenty-seven horses were shipped by the s.s. Mararoa to-day for the use of the Contingent.

To-morrow another detachment of twenty or thirty men, with about 50 horses, will be despatched to Wellington by the s.s. Gairloch from Onehunga' by the West Coast. This squad will go by train from New Plymouth to Wellington. The rest of tlie Fifth Contingent will be sent away from the camp to Wellington as opportunity offers during the next few days.

Lieut- Bosworth ("A"' Battery) will leave in charge of the detachment which is going to-morrow, en route for South Africa.

Yesterday afternoon the 30 odd men who had been rejected on account of their poor shooting were given another test at the Mt. Eden Rifle Range, and a ballot was 1o be taken at the camp this afternoon in order to select a number o. men to fill the remaining vacancies in the Contingent.

On Saturday evening the officers and men of the Fifth Contingent were entertained at an exceedingly enjoyable supper by Host Abbott of the Criterion Hotel, Otahuhu. whose son is a member of the Contingent. Mr Abbott had spared no trouble or expense to ensure the enjoyment of his guests, and lhe result was a very pleasant gathering. T/ieuts. Posworth, Shaw, Potter and 80 men rode out from the camp to Otahuhu and were warmly greeted by their generous host. The supper was an excellent one. Lieut. Bosworth presided, and Mr A. _R. Harris, who was one of the guests, proposed the health of the. "Queen" on behalf of the host. Various other toasts were drunk, and the health of the departing contingent was honoured by the other guests present. The Contingent returned to camp after having spent a very pleasant time, thanks to Mr Abbott's hospitality.