NEW ZEALAND CONTINGENT.:

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 10480, 19 October 1899, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND CONTINGENT.:

THE EMBARKATION ON SATURDAY. HURRIED PREPARATIONS. / .. ' , (PJUESS ASSOCIATION .TBUSGBAH.) WELLINGTON, Octo%r}B. The.Contingent will have no getting rifle practice before leaving. It is stated that the saddles supplied are nofc up to themaik, and a large number have been, rejected. To all appearance it will take the authorities all theirl time to get *be men xmy on the date fixed, ac one squad tras only, measured for toots and clothes yesterday, and the.workmen will have to-keep going nicht and day to finish the orders. Tba officials of the Defence Department jure working at very high pressure to complete the* arrangements for the despatch of the Contingtnt on S**u&bst - ~' •

j mo men ere aow oil sworn in, and aw i'.aWe to instant dismissal if the Commander adjudges them guilty of bad conduct or a breach of discipline. The pay ranges from 4s for troopers to 11* for lieutenants. Captain Hughes, of Napier, finding no vacancies among the officers, has enlisted ai a private. It has been found that military etiquette does not allow a mounted infantry corps t0 carry a flag, and Lady Banfurly has, therefore, intimated that she -will not be able to present it, as at first designed. Fifteen steamers ore announced to accompany the Waiwera to the Heads on Saturday, t •- In addition to the officers already mentioned, Bartlett, Johnston, and Lii&say will be lieutenants of No. 1 Company, and'Chaytor, Canavan, and Neave of x\o. 2 Company. Each company will have six'sergeants and six corporals, two a farrier sergeant, and several assistants. The total strength of the Contingent, all told, -will be 211. The divisional sergeants of the two companies will be—No. 1, Sergeant Tuck (Auckland); No. 2> Sergeant Qwatkuia (Cbristchurch). Altogether nineteen men have been rejected. It was a Wang&nm trooper who developed a slight attack, of (Jterman measles. He was sent away from camp this morning, as the Defence Department did not think it advisable to keep him, though he reported himself all right to-day. Very little drilling was done at. the- camp to-day, most of the timo being occupied in preparing for embarkation. This being the first pay day since the camp was formed, a considerable time was. taken up , in paying the men. Some 170 of the • Contingent are in town to-night, and attended the. Opera House and the Sexual and Political .League's social. The officers arc also being entertained by the officers of the Wellington Garrison. The Contingent will be fully supplied with book?, papers and games on the voyage, Mrs Penton's call for thesa having been liberally responded to. §he has also re- : ceived 50,000 "Vanity Fair" cigarettes from, the American ;Tobacco Company and 501b weight of tobacco from Messrs Sargood, Son ■ and Ewen for the use of the men on the voyage. . The Contingent were present by invitation at the performance of "Forty Tlhfera" f afc the Opera House to-night, where there •was a great patriotic demonstration! . Major Robin, when ho took hie seat.in th© drew cireki, received a popular ovation ■which lasted some minutes. . T~e Premier read in the Hotise this evening a cable message from the Secretary of State for War, that the colonial troops from the date of embarkation came under-the, Imperial Army Act.