BUT WHAT A COMPLIMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 13, 16 January 1901, Page 5

BUT WHAT A COMPLIMENT.

The "East Anglian Daily Times" has been the recipient of a leiter dated October 19th from a member of. ■the Xew Zealand contingent, from which 1 extract the following growl: "We left Barbprton all in a hurry last Saturday jnorning, and did nol, get to Pretoria till Wednesday noon, as the trains only ran by day. Wo lefi our horses, waggons, etc., behind, and brought only our kits, arms, and saddlery. We were told we were going bark to New Zealand at once, but now we are here we shall be fitted out again and go to the front. I think Lord Roberts is serving us very badly, as we. eoloniuls were promised we should be sent home as soon as the war was over, the colonials going first. Well, I am proud to belong to the New Zealanders, but after we once get out of this 1 don't think any of the old hands will come out again. If there was any fighting to be done, we should be quite -willing to stay, but patrolling, etc., we don't want; we did not come out for that. . . .

Our Colonel (Sonimerville) came to see us at Barberton. He is a grand old man, and he said 'the North Islanders are all his own boys % ' He has had to go home again. We have been 'soldiers of the Queen' for 3f» weeks to-day. We have had a lot of fresh horses given us to-day, so L guess we shall soon move out again."

There is some justice in Ihe trooper's complaint. No one can justify the detention of the colonials anil other volunteers when week by week large numbers of regulars are being sent Home. Still it is a great compliment to those who are detained for the very fact that Lord Roberts keeps certain men in South Africa whilst, sending others Home shows that he has great faith in those he keeps behind. Moreover, recent events have shown that there is still plenty of fighting to be done, and the New Zenlanders will be in the thick of it, as they always have contrived to be.