A NEW ZEALAND TROOPER'S VIEWS OF THE WAR.

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

A NEW ZEALAND TROOPER'S VIEWS OF THE WAR.

A New Zealand trooper has been gossiping with a "Morning Leader" correspondent on the war. Tlie Antipodean told his interlocuter little that we haven't, heard before, but you may find something to interest you in these few extracts from the article resulting in the chat twixt the paragraphist and the soldier. For instance, our soldier friend states in plain language what many Australians who were at the relief of Mafeking have hinted at before. Tho New Zealander, referring to the fact that B.P. has not been greatly rewarded for his services, said: "The truth is that the military authorities don't think much of Laden-Powell or his work. The whole of the Mafeking business was a 'frost.' I was for four months in the neighbourhood with Plumer's force, and Plumcr was so anxious about the condition of the besieged, he was so certain that they were starving, that he economised his own provisions, and for months before the relief we were on a biscuit a day and half rations. When Mafeking was relieved it turned out that Baden-Powell had full provisions for a year, and there had been no want! Pliimer was awfully mad. He sent a few waggons of food and stores into the town just for appearance sake, and to make a show for the paper men; but he was awfully wild. Out there we didn't understand why Mafeking was made so much of by London. Baden-Powell was no particular hero with the troops, and those behind the scenes knew that there was little or nothing in the Mafeking business. But he got his men into muddles once or twice in the open as well; so there is not much difficulty in understanding how London's idol has no particular rewards."

On the subject of Tommies in general our New Zealander was fairly .tattering, i.e., he didn't show up their shortcomings as a fighter, but paid a tribute to their behaviour, which was wonderful, "when you think where they were recruited." Concerning tbe C.LV.'s the New Zealander said a good jleal that waa very nasty. Boiled down his remarks came to this: The C.LV.'s weren't a ha'porth of good, and their homecoming was hurried up because of their uselessness.

Of course all Colonial soldiers don't share this .in.latte.ring opinion of "Loudon's Own." As to tho tales of outrage set afoot by the pro-Boers, the New Zealander characterised them as lies, and he spoke up for the Boers also as "not half bad chaps."

As to our Generals, "They were all most kind to us colonials, though they worked us hard. They knew we could stand work. Everybody liked Lord Roberts, but he is too good natured, altogether too kind and merciful. Kitchener, on the other hand, is a soldier out and out, but the -stories of his cruelty and hardh ear led ii ess are all nonsense, ne seemed to be popular enough with the regulars. He wants work done, and means to have it done, but once that's settled he is as good to his men as any of them. Buller I never came across, but of him I always heard all the troops who served with him say that he is a rare hand at taking care of his men. Soldiers get more and better food with him than with any. French I saw a good deal of at Pretoria. He is a fine chap, and deserves all the praise he gets. Colville? Poor old Colville. I never saw him, but I have heard about him. Plenty of cases like his have happened, but they have been hushed up. There is no doubt whatever that there were rare muddles made of the despatch of staff orders."