SOUTH ISLAND BATTALION.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11190, 3 February 1902, Page 5

SOUTH ISLAND BATTALION.

CAMP NOTES. DATE OF DEPARTURE DEFINITELY

It has now been definitely decided that the South Island Battalion of 'the E%fefh J Contingent will leave Lyttelton on Saturday next. The horsee will be embarked by. the troopship Cornwall on Friday next. The steamer has left Australia for .Lyttelton.\.

The' morning parade state on. Saturday was: Permanent camp staff 9. South Island Battalion Eigfcth Contingent: Battalion staff 16; E squadron, 4 officers, 116 men; V. squadrtm, 4 offioert, 116 men; G squadron, 5 Officers, 116 men; H squadron, 5 officers, 116 men; Seventh Contingent, 31 men. Exolraeive of <bhe permanent* ebaff the roll number ie 496.. Squadrons E, G» and H formed ta» mounted parade at Hagleyi Park on Saturday morning, being exercised in extended order movement*. F squadron was on camp duty. On Saturday night the members of the Contingent were present by invitation at Dixs Gaiety Company and: at the Theatre Royal. Colonel Owen, acting commandant, paid a visit of inspection to the camp on Saturday morning. Yesterday afternoon the number of visitors to the camp wae fully'five thousand. Trams ran out to Addington every fifteen minutes. With the breeze ,ihat was blowing it 'wa* fearfully dusty vaad lUKJomfortably hot. Derty , * Band played, an excellent programme ,of selections during the afternoon.

Th* men are now sending their private belongings into store, to be taken* charge of till they return or forwarded to t-beir friends, co that th«y may not be hampered with anything bob the Government regulation outfit on their departure. At the Church Parade yesterday about four hundred men out of camp were present, «nd aibout five armored from the Infantry Battalion. Nearly sixty member* of the Contingent inarched to St. Andrew's Church, ana twelve went to the mid-day Catholio service. A party also attended early sum. ~ The parade state yesterday morning was: —Permanent camp staff 11; South Island Battalion, Eighth Contingent: Battalion staff, 15; E Squadron, 5 officers and 116 men; F Squadron, 4 officers and .116 men; G, 5 officers And 116 men; H, 5 officers and 116 men; total, 436, exclusive of the permanent staff. Seventh Contingent, 31 men.

The dinner given in camp on Friday by the officers of file Battalion -was a great success, the arrangemeata reflecting much credit on the caterer, Mr P. Burke. Colonel Coaytor occupied tie oh*ir, supported by tfoe staff, exactly 50 officers of The Battalion being present. Amongst ftm guests were Lieutenant-Colonel Webb, ItieutenaatColonel Gordon, Lieutenant-Colonel Sober, Bishop Julius, Bishop Grimes, LientenantColonel Day, Major Snow, Captain Hobday, the Rev. W. S. Bean, Chaplain, and 16 officers of the Canterbury Infantry Battalion. Apologies for absence were received from the Mayor (Mr A. E. G. Bfcodee), the Presideat and Vioe-President of the Canterbury A. and P. Association, and i>urgeon-M»jor Thomas.

General leave was granted to the men on Sunday afternoon.

Mr C. H. Fox's String Band will give a concert - at the camp to-night. It is stated, that more than half the men of the Sotflfc Island Battalion are Presbyterians.

Fourteen hones for the Contingent arrived fct Lyttefton on Saturday by the RotoYna.ha.nn.

The C.V.C. -will entertain Captain Rhodes and the members of th* eorpe who are going away with tfae Eighth Contingent, and also the officers of the Ashbnrton Mounted Rifles, at a supper at Tattersafl's Hotel at 8 pan. on Thursday next. Troopers Bardon and DriscolL of the Kaiapoi Rifle*, have been presented by their comrade* with sleeping-bags, and Trooper Mellor received * presentation from the Kaiapoi Juvenile Lodge of Oddfellows. At the send-off to the troopers at Kaiapoi, Mr R. Moore made reference to the resolve of Messrs Jackson Palmer and BH. Rhodes, M.H-S.'a, to accompany the Contingent. He said it was encouraging to the men to be under officers who -were making a great sacrifice in assisting the Empire. At Kaiapoi on Saturday there wm a large concourse of the public at the railway plationn to say gooa-bye to Uie members of

the Contingent, and, led by the Mayor, cheers were given for the men. The members of the Contingent are looking forward to the garden party to be given at Tβ Koraba on Wednesday next-. At Halswell on Saturday night a resolution was passed heartily Mr Rhodes's action in going to South Africa. Trooper Oavanagh was entertained at Springfield on Thursday night, and presented with a eilver-mountea pipe, tobacco pouch, and pocketbook. At Rakaia the same evening Troopers She Hock and Thompson were entertained at a social, and each was presented with a purae of sovereign*. Mr Alfred Merton kindly offered his «r----vioes to select the piano which is to be presented to the Southern Battalion of the -Eighth Contingent. In order that they may have funds for the purchase of orchestral instruments he has decided to parchase a good serviceable second-hand piano. It is the wish of the ladies making the presentation that the piano and instruments should be stored on the arrival of the men in South Africa so that they may be available for use on the return voyage. The intention is that upon their arrival in NewZealand the instruments shall be fold and the proceeds placed in the hands of the officer commanding the battalion, and be used as he may think fit in relieving any distressing case or oases amongst the men. On account of the indisposition of Miss Pratt, the names of several addkwnal «üb-. scribers have not yet been published, but they will appear «s «oon ac possible.