LAN HAMILTON ON THE NEW ZEALANDERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 169, 30 July 1901, Page 2

LAN HAMILTON ON THE NEW ZEALANDERS.

Sir lan Hamilton, responding to the toast of "The Imperial Forces" at the New Zealand dinner, paid the New Zealanders, whom he commanded in the march north from Bloemfontein, a warm compliment. General Hamilton opened with a brief reference to the gallantry of the men of the navy and their' midshipmen who served under him at Caesar's Camp, and then came at once to that fine April morning when he rode, out from Bloemfontein with poor Le Callais to look at the New Zealanders whom he was to command. They were most anxious to see these men, already famous for their gallantry at Colesbcrg with General French, where one party of them, under Captain Madox, came to the assistance of the Yorkshire Bcgiment and gained a great name for themselves. Captain Madox told Sir lan that he had never seen anyone run as fast as those New Zealanders ran up that- hill, except, possibly, the Boers who ran down the other side. When he looked round the outposts and was introduced by Major Bobin in an informal manner to some of the officers and non-commissioned officers he was greatly struck by the alert and martial appearance of the men, and felt proud to think that he waa going to command them. Whilst he was inspecting them they were probably taking stock of him, nnd if ever he wished to be seven feet high and fifty inches round the chest it was on that occasion. Whatever they might have thought of him or his force afterwards he could only say that they did their duty splendidly. He had been told that New Zealanders were sometimes touchy, and not always keen to work under Imperial officers. That was a otoss libel. New Zealanders were first-class men, and they naturally wanted to serve under jrood Imperial officers. He thought they were n.lite rig-ht. and he -was sttre that Lord Roberts and the authorities at present in nower would do their best for them in that particular. He had heard it whispered that New Z^alnndera had n very jrood opinion of themselves. He thori.o-ht they were quite right. How could they expect- rthor people to have a good oninirm of them if they rfid hot ._ive them a bit of a lead in that direction? What Australia and New Zealand hod done for the Mother Country on this occasion was only an earnest of what they would do in the future. He hoped that in future thntr letrislators would come over here, and with their fresh ideas cure lis of some of . that hysteria nnd .morbidity which is the curse of an old civilisation. He saw that a sonsr of thanks-riving was to follow, and no doubt that was for the conclusion^of iris speed-. , ,