OUR SECOND CONTINGENT.

Evening Post, Volume LIX, Issue 2, 3 January 1900, Page 6

OUR SECOND CONTINGENT.

NOTES FROM NEWTOWN CAMP. The foop of. sixty men taken out to Miramar Isthmus yesterday afternoon were members of the Contingent who were in ihe saddle as Soldiers of the Queen for the first time. The first party token out were the first arrivals in camp, and Avere mostly city men ; the second party, yesterday afternoon's troop, Avere the men Avho came in a week later, and were from country districts. . This probably accounts for the betteT class of horsemanship showta by the troopers yesterday, as they gave every satisfaction to the commander, and there was not one bad rider in the troop. The afternoon Avas spent in ekirmishing work and company drill, and was rounded off with an exciting bayonet charge. The officers and men returned to camp thoroughly tired out, and not c few bore marks of the scorching sun. The evening was pent m rest, and music had charms for not a feAV of the men in the general mess tent. Mr. David W. M. Burn, a Southern bard, lias sent the men copies of his song "Mother England," and Mr. J. H. Bosworth, the composer of another patriotic song, "Britons Brave and True," Jias also sent copies of his composition. The L nd work in the sun has told severely upon some of the men, y who were this morning relieved from duties }wing to attacks of sunstroke. Tavo men were sent into Wellington Eospital this morning from the camp. At an early hour a party of men were sent round tbe Park roadway to exercise their horse. 13 , the animals being Avitbout saddles. Trooper Signal, of the Rangitikei Rifles, an excellent horseman, had for his mount a restive beast which had given him a great deal of trouble. In fact, he had been advised by the Majdr to give up the horse for another, but as it Avaa one of the best ani-

mah in the lines, Signal begged to be alluAved to give him just another chance, as Avith plenty of exercise the hur>o Avnuld become quiet. This morning the animal started his old trick of rearing, but could not unseat his rider. Finally the hot^c roared until it stood erect, and then iell back, falling Avitli Ins rider over the bank and down tho terrace. The fall resulted iv Signal's back being i mined. Tho second accident occurred late) 1 on in the morning, whilst the men Avere being l.iken to Island Bay, and had just •narched out of tho Paik gales. The charger ridden by Trooper Chapman (Napier Guards) reared • and fell back upon the road, injuring its rider someAvhat severely . The women folk of the houses adjacent rendered ready assistance, and then tho trooper »vas taken to the Hospital, Surgeon-Captain Fonwiok being' in town at the time. During the parade at Miramar yesterday Trooper Orme Avas struck severely on the head by the bit of a comrade's horse, Avhich had reared. There were 180 horses in the lines this morning, and 139 men were in camp. As the Auckland saddles arrived yesterijy afternoon, every man was giA ren a mount, and at 9.30 this morning all the' officers and men Avho could be spared Avere on parade in their respective companies. The No. 1 Company, under juieutenant Banks (as Acting-Captain) mustered 61 all told, and No. 2 Company, unjer Captain Hayhurst, 56. Accompanied ly Lieut.-Colonel Sommerville 'and Major Cradcck the two companies weve manned out to Island Bay Park, Avhere ih(y wero manoeuvred and gi\ ren company drill for tAvo hours. The horses have steadied doAvn considerably under their work of the past feAV days, and even Prospect noAV behaves himself. This afternoon is to be devoted to foot drill in camp, during Avhich Colonel Penton vrill be present. The men are behaving excellently, and working well. Their commander speaks of them m Avarm terms of praise, and says they are giving every satisfaction. Some complaint has been made concerning the stopping of leave, Avhich has been strictly refused, except in most urgent cases. It is explained that in the formation of sections and the appointment of section leaders and of No. 3 to each section (special horsemanship being needed for this position) it has been necessary to keep eveiy man in camp, so as to train them in their Avork. Private Godfrey, who had left the Contingent on the plea that the work was too hard, returned last night, explaining that ho had gone out in a someAvhat thoughtless spirit, owing lo a grievance which existed between himself and a non-cominisnontd officer, and asked to be alloAA'ed to go back to quarters. He thought, al«o, that he had been unfairly treated in the amount of guard duty Avhich had been imposed upon him. He was alloAved to return to duty. Lieutenant Banks is the orderly officer to-day. , Church parade will probably be held next Sunday morning, Bishop Wallis taking the service. The Garrison Band will be present, and will contribute a selection of music during the morning. Permission has been granted by Major Cradock to the NeAvtown Band lo play in the camp during the afternoon, when tho band Avill take up a collection in aid cf the New Zealand Contingent Relief Fund. ; Much satisfaction Avas felt in camp Avhen it became known that the order concerning the reduction of the height of the horses for the troop had arisen through a mistake. The War Office telegram gives the maximum height as 15.3 hands. Sixteen horses arrived from the South by the Rotemahana this morning, Avhich brings the' total landed from the South during the past lew days up to 71. It is understood that the services of Captain Boag, of the Ellesmere Mounted Rifles, Avftl not be available for the Contingent . There n no word yet of the appointment of a captain for the North Island Company (No. 2). Mr. Gilfedder, M.H.R., addressing his constituents at Preservation Inlet 0 feAV days ago, said he had voted against the sending of the first Contingent to the Transvaal because' war had not been declared, and it was not thought necessary to send men from here while England had soldiers sufficient, many times over, to subdue tho Boers. Since that time, however, matters had assumed a serious aspect in South Africa. The Boer strength and military prowess had been underestimated, general after general had Been repulsed, and the Continental papers were jubilant in thek tone over the reverses the British forces had sustained. ' He held that the vigorous prosecution of the war was necessary, as the honour, the prestige, and even the supremacy of the natiqn were at stake, and it- behoved us in New Zealand, in common, with our kith and kin in Canada and the Australian colonies, to render what assistance we could in the hour of need. On these grounds he had supported the Government in the proposal to equip and despatch a second Contingent to tho Transvaal and he iclb sure tho men from Maoriknd would acquit themselves creditably on the field of battle. Messrs. M'Hardy Bros , of Blackhead, have given tAvo horses toAvards tho equipment of the Contingent. Of some 230 horses submitted lo the officers of the Stock Department in the Wairarapa for the Transvaal, 62 have been accepted. The examination -vas a most rigid one. Of the number passed for acceptance, seven Avere presented. The price paid for the animals purchased averaged £17 5s each. Col. Penton will be glad to receive books, periodicals, games, etc., for the use of the Contingent during the voyage to Africa. They may be sent to his residence in Moturoa-strcet. Trooper Barnes, avlio was injured during the bare back parade last Aveek. has returned to camp from the Hospital. We learn this afternoon that Trooper Chapman, who Avas hurt this morning, has injured his spine, it is thought senously, but Trooper Signal is not seriously hurt, and will be back in camp again in the course of a day or tAvo. Some waggish member of the Contingent, during a visit to Fuller' 3 Waxworks, pinned a New Zealand Contingent badge to President Kruger's buttonhole, and that badge, in the Avords of the song, is "there yet." [BY TELKGRAPH —VRKSS ASSOCIATION.] DUNEDIN, This Day. ! Several thousands assembled at the raihvay station this morning to bid farewell to the volunteers under orders for Wellington. The Garrison Band attended, and the Mayor made a feAV remarks on behalf of the oitifcens. Those who left Avere —P.O. Borlase and Gunners Wright, Foreman, Clark, and Macdonald, Port Navals; Sergt. Haydon and Corporal Christie, B Battery; Sappers Hawkes and Pringlq, .Dunedin Engineers ; Corporal Farquharson and Privates Douglas and North, Dunedin ilifies ; Privates Fraaer, Beath, Highland Riiies; Sergt. Jackson, City RihVs; Private Dunne, Clutha Mounted Rifles; Samuel Ballantyne (late Waikcri Rifles); Wm. G. Morton (late E Battery); William Mackay (late West Taieri Rifles); Richard Wilson, farrier.