THE EIGHTH CONTINGENT.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11153, 20 December 1901, Page 5

THE EIGHTH CONTINGENT.

APPLICATION FOR ENROLMENT STILL COMING IN. (anew, to "*h» Mass.") WELLINGTON, December 19. Ogera are afcill pouring jn for the Eighth Contingent, and within the first twenty-four hours considerably over a thousand men most have volunteered. It is also evident that there will be over a> hundred officers and non-commissioned officers competing for the forty-four positions to be filled in connection with the new contingent. Captain 'Hughes, D.5.0., who is one of the heroes of the New Zealand Hill epieode, is likely to return to the war with this contingent, i At all events he has offered his services. DUNEDIN, December 19. The number of applicants for enrolment in the Eighth Contingent is increasing rapidly. Tb« total hoe now reached 408 men and 23 officers. (PRSSS ASSOCIATION JEXEGBAMS.) AUCKLAND, December 19. Up to this afternoon about 320 applicai tions had been received at the Auckland ! Brigade office for enlistment Sn the Eighth : Contingent. These are all from Auckland. 'The country lists are not in yet. WANGANUI, December. 19. I Over fifty applications -have been received here for tbe twenty allotted for Wanganui in the Eighth:. Contingent. Of the applicanto, ten ox»' retmrwd troopare, and it ia anticipated, at least, another ten will apply, so that tohb mounted corps in tfhis diabrict trill ibave no chanoe drbemg represented. There is a very strong feeling here that the Wangartoi quota is entirely out ot I proportion to tine number of men to be 'meed, more especially viewing the taxfc that the Wangaoui district in the past has, supplied as many men as Wellington fox I otter Wenganui W twelve 'corps, represevitiog a thousand mm, in* eluding seven, mounted corps, to ohooee from, and yei, trader the present cotsdi- , tions, the chances of providing a solitary i representative are very temoie. LOCAL NOTES. The recruiting officers at the Garrison Library had another busy time yesterday enrolling applicants for the Eighth Contingent. A large proportion of those who have put in their application* »re men from the country, and are the very etamp of men required. The recruiting office wiU be open agaia to-day. Up to four o'clock yesterday afternoon applications had been received from. 22 officers and 275 men for enrolment in the Contingent. These figures do not include.applications received at Eaneiora, Sheffield, and South Canterbury, which, jbave not yet been forwarded to Colonel Webb, The men wiH be notified by advertisement vrkm they will be required to attend for selection and medical examination. • The officer cooanaswlißg ih» Canterbury district announces tihat appKoante for commissdons in the lEighth Contingent (otiher than officers of the Defence Iforcea) who wish to serve ia the ranks, if not granted commission, must present tbeaneelvee for the Recruiting Board at their own centres, co that they may have a cfhanoe of enrolment failing selection as officers. The tenders for the supplies for the equipment of the men closed yesterday afternoon. Mr James O'Sullivan, tbe Defence storekeeper, who has'oome from Wellington to take charge of this part of the business, states that £rom &U appearances no difficulty will be found in obtaining all the necessary equipment in this city. Up to yesterday there were between 60 and 70 applications received at the Defence Office, Tunani, for enrolment as members of the Eighth Contingent. Only .12 now are to be taken from Timaro, and there is a good deal of dissatisfaction over this, seeing that 148 are to go from Christchurch, and previously Timaxu has sent more men to the front than Onristchurch, . A SUGGESTION. TO TBS KDITO& OF TSB WtESS. Sir,—l think I am safe in asserting that there is not a man in New Zealand or Australia who -touloj venture to say. that Mr Seddon has not the courage of jus opinions on any subject whatever. He tow given us another proof of it in hie straightforward action in proposing to tend another contingent to South Africa.. He has guaged publio opinion on the subject to a point, and whatever may have been the opinions of our members, I have no doubt but that Mr Seddon would have acted! quite as promptly. IJvave now a suggestion to make, and ft ie this. Aβ the Premier of the great Australian Federation has not the .heart to rise to the occasion, let oar Premier, on behalf of the people of New Zealand, say to young Australia, "Come and join our yesmg men &&d chow to lie world that however backward yo«r »ulers may be, you yoorselvee ate quite prepared to fight for the Empire." Personally, I think it would be a splendid move, and , no doubt the Home Government would* grant "Mx Seddon a substantia! credit, co ac to enable him to pay the cost of bringing the Australians here to join, our men.—Yours, etc, • H. WYNN-WILLIAMS.