THE "FIGHTING SEVENTH."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 751, 25 February 1910, Page 6

THE "FIGHTING SEVENTH."

. A'NKDAt EBTOION.' ."• ', CORDIAL MESSAGE FROM '-'K.OF K." refought, and reminiscences of l African campaigning exchanged by the scattered i remnants of the/. Seventh New Zealand:. Mounted Eegiment who' fora?, gathere4. together ap. Scott's Mp--ners Stygef, Jast evening, : on- tiio oegasign bt their annual reunion, wmc(i was.g[gß the- eighth anniversary of the SgW; ft{ iJbthasuerg. (Juiuidi l<ui'i:tr, 0.8,, 'QQpt Commauding tlie_ Jlegiment,. : over, a goodly gatherings aid Lieutenant Colonel Baucliop/ Officer Commanding the Wellington district, who as. major,' the right: wing which' received the, oniet of the ' Boer attack 'at-fßothasberg,' looked .in:later, on in •the. evening. It was the earnest, hope: of..those present that;Field-Marshal Lord Kitchener would have .been able, to .have been-present for a brief interyal/but at the "last moment he '.found it impossible to absent himself froii the vice-regal dinner. Colonel Porter, jvhen. proposing the health of "Our Distinguished Visitor,", read the following letter from : . Colonel '-'.Kirkpatrick/-.'.' the Field-Marshal's: Chief-of -Staff:- .-. . "Dear-.Colonel Porter,— :'• o ';.'-. ': : ~. Lord-iKitchener desires'me to say ' that he .regrets extremely his inability to be':present at the.annual re- ; :union of the Seventh New Zealand Contingent ■to-night..- ; He remembers ; well his last meeting with the Seventh on February! 27,. 1902, after their dis- ' play, of gallantry, and valour at Both- .'. asberg. -He, equally with you, reveres ■the memory of; the'-brave men ■ who ;. fell on- that occasion, and; is- quite ■sure , that for all time:, New Zealand' will do'honour to, her representatives ..' ■who did their, duty to^the Empire , ,with such credit to themselves r and to the Dominion . which sent them :. forth.'. .-. '-.':' .-. . -.., -. :

."(Signed) G. M. KIREPATRICK, ; .. '■■'■"[■ ,'•■." ■•'■■■■■■■ ■" : '.-. Colonel."' After the. toast ■ was'honoured,. cheers were given "three times three." '■: • A ! very'graceful'message was that sent along' by Mrs. Janet Gillies, . Matron-in-Chief. of-the Army' Nursing paper reserve, :b'y the , way—who was well known to the N6w Zealahdefs. in South Africa; as> Niirse" Speed. ; Her ■remembrances, were received with cheers.. Apologies' for unavoidable, absence were also received from Lieut;-Coldnel • Abbott and' several others. .■'.•■ ''■■■' :

The evening "was a most enjoyable one , and everytliing passed off very well. The roll of those present was as follows:— 1 Colonel .Porter, C;B., Lieut:-Colonel A. Baiichop, C.M.G., Captain Whitely,' Capr tain Richardson; Captain Ross; Captain Clark, Lieut; Wilkinson, and A. Berry, W. Chirnside, D. H. : MTJiamid, 'G. S. Jowcs, S. Robinson; A. G. Humphrey, R. S. Taylor, H. Rees, Geo. ; H. Hutson, J. Fraser Thompson, Chas. Wood, E. Murphy, S.Munn, A. Leyland, C. J. Denny; G. M. Deck, A. Evans, J. Calnan.T.'W. Armstrong, F. WUlis, D. H. Retter, J. P. Taylor, J.- D. Miston, Percy D. Tennant, P. J. Cotton, W. Warno, Agmen G. Smith, J. C. Hary, A. S. Moe, and G. :B. Carter. '

■Acting upon a.suggestion, from Mr. C. L. Jewell, it was decided to form an association similar, to that formed by the, First New Zealand Mounted Regiment. .Colonel Porter'.'wni.'elected president, Mr. Esam. sVcretary and treasurVrj ami the officers of. the regiment the executive committee.'; : ■;.-. ;•" \ , • '.'