EXTRA EDITION. THE TENTH CONTINGENT.

Evening Post, Volume LXIII, Issue 87, 12 April 1902, Page 6

EXTRA EDITION. THE TENTH CONTINGENT.

THE PARIiWELL LUNCHEON. ANOTHER QUESTION FOR THECON-I«'ER]-;NCE. MO MORE DIRECI' COMMISSIONS - FOR COLONIALS. The public lunchoou to tho departing Koith Island Uattalion of tho Tenth (Contingent was given in tho Drill-hall Uiis afternoon. The hall presented a ;;alu appearance, Avith its drapinss and iostoor.s and streamers— in fact, the Decoration Committee may be said to have oxce^od itself. Behind the seat of honour at the head of the- table werespread tho arms of tho Corporation, and at either side wore entwined the flags of Great Britain, the United States, and the Mother Country's latest ally, Japan. The flog of Germany was with tho Sags of other nations — i.e., round the walls of the building. Of the threo national flags thus grouped, in concerts the head of the hall, the white sun on red ground, emblematic of the kind of the chrysantheittum, gbono out improssivoly — tho more impressively because its association with - 'the Stars and Stripes and the Union flag is. so new and portentous. The lion r3mpont v of Scotland also had a .prominent 'position, and tho streamers a«d code flags lent by the Corporation hwog in festoons right across the room. The Blaze * o; colour and tho goneral combined effect ! produced by tho flags of the nations and jthe resser emblems wero eminently boccessfui, and the . arrangement was a itriiHttph- of artistic display. Tho Decora- , >t»n Committee consisted of Messrs J. M-'Aipine, E. Arnold, and E. L. Burgess, and to Mr. M'Alpinethe principal work was entrusted. v The Music Committee (Messrs W. Gill,,' E. J. Hill, and C. TjihHs), and Luncheon Committee (Jtfessrs F. Townsend, T. B. •Dwan, F. Haybiitte, nnd T. K. Macdonato), ateo carried out llteir work with credit. The luncheon provided was cred- , itaWo to the caterer, Mr. Godber, and /his army of -waitresses and assistants. The 'centrepiece on tho taHe was a wonderfulconfectionery and culinary creation, with m red-coated warrior on top. Two similiar articles, but smaller, wero placed to right and left. A special word" of praise •is duo to Mr. A. Peddor, of tie Corporation cterioal s+aff, on whem fell..the'important duties ol Secretary. The Mayor of Wellington (Mr. J. G.» )»W. Aitken) presided, having on hisright hand tho Premier, and on his left* I Captain Tamer, in command of the Contingent. Other members of tho Ministry, the Commandant, Lieut. -Col. Collins,., Mout.-Col. Newall, Mrs. Scddon, and Lady. Wfeird, were also present. Rousing cheers greeted the entrance^ of the Premier at the head of the Ministerial party, and a half-caste trooper 1 mounted a chair and delivered a greeting in Maori. Minilie's Band played while tho repast was being disposed of, and afte*- the assembly had been snapshotted, the Mayor proposed tho toast of "The->j . King," which was duly honoured. Tho aforementioned half-caste trooper again mounted his chair and sought to add an improvisation in Maori. Immediately h« became the target of sundry buns and apples, while the officers ordered him to "it down. This he did, and saluted, and the Premier remarked decisively, "Another apple thrown, nnd whoever throws it goes under arreit." Iho next toast, "Tho Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales and other .Members of tho Royal Family," was the subject of a slight misunderstanding, H>mo people and the band starting off-, wilh "Jolly Good Fellow," which thePremier promptly changed to " God Save i. ho Queen," and the whole was finally drowned in cheers. "His Majesty" was stirringly sung by .ur. E. J. Hill, and evoked prolonged applause. The Mayor, in proposing tho toast of "Tho Tenth Contingent," said that though this was the tenth, he was pleased to think and know thjjt the men before him were as good and "fit as any previous contingent that bad gone to tho war. Ho was sorry the war .was dragging out its weary length bo much, but ho felt certain it was drawing near its conclusion. Tho anoi-o men sent there, the quicker the clo*e of the war and tho less bloodshed. The citizens of Wellington felt hearty goodwill and thorough appreciation of the action of the Tenth Contingent in going out to fight the battles of tho Empire— and of the citizens. Captain Turner in responding to the toast of "The Tenth Contingent," said'i that the officers were hardworking, the Contingent was tho foundation of a iirst-class fighting machine, and if only tho men could have more training before their departure ho was quito confident the Tenth would bo one of tho best of our Contingents. Ho hadn't had to reprimand' a single man. The Premier, who received: an ova;tion, said the Boecs and envious naitions wero jubilant when a recent misjhap occurred in South Africa, but they were not jubilant, at tlie 'departure of the Tenth Contingent. Captain Turner had said that tho Contingent was the makings of a gooci fighting machine. One machine ! A mechanism was to bo [Wielded by others, but overy one 6t the* thousand men in the Tenth was not a machine but a good fighting man. He | impressed on tho men that discipline andduty wero synonymous terms. Ho had? a communication wbic& was sent to Lord, Roberts as far back as September, 1900,., and which showed fjhat tho idea of the* blockhouses that had done such exceM }lent work was first received from New 'Zealand. His Excellency the Governor wtta unable to be present on this occasion through his absence in Auckland, it being his pleasure to be there when the Admiral was there. The Premierthen read a cablegram from the Secretary of State for War, which he said had an important bearing on the present situation. (The cablegram read that the Secretary of State for War regrets that it is not intended to give any more direct commissions to members of colonial corps, but that this will not affect commissions in corps now serving in South Africa ; future commissions were at th« disposal of the Commander-in-Chief, and some were already contemplated). Tho Premier went on to say that the Imperial ! Government had offered thirty coramiseiona direct, aud less than twenty had been accepted. Some were in negotiation. He did not blame the Secretary of State, but the telegram showed that the War Office and those conducting *its affairs required to know more of colonial feeling. Those who were already fighting with commissions could go on, but when the war Office was asked to keep good faith with the colony in the mat* tcr of the commissions, this was the reply that was received. He blamed thoao who had no true conception of the best interest of the British Army. It would be a vary good thing if there wero more colonials in that army. Ho did not cay thiS to cast the slightest reflection on those in the British Army, 1 but Iho system was wrong. This , made one more question to go before the Conference of the Colonial Premier^ and Iho Secretary of Slate, and this question of the «ntry of colonials aa officers into tho British Army and Navy would require to bo entirely remodelled. And he had little doubt that later on some of the disabilities would be r«raov«d in-

order to give colonials ami the sous of colonials, alter then gieal .sacrificou, dj,- . port unity of entry 10 the A.iiny ami ''Navy superiur to that now existing, lie regret tt-d the decision the War Ofike had ai rived nt, ami he hud arked His Excellency to notify the Secretary of State, that tho I'rcinier of New Zen hind would . bviii^ this question before the Conferenco of Premiers. After Mr. John Prou-o had sung "When the Empiro Calls!," the proceedings closod with chocrs for tho Mayor and • Premier. THE COMMAND OF THK FORCE. The command of the Tenth Contingent was offered to Lieut. -Colonel Collins, but' owing to pressuic of other duties he was, obliged to decline it. It hns beon arranged that Lieut.-Col. Messenger shall have the command for the voyngo to South Africa, and thenhand over the regiment to Major Andrew, tho commander.