THE FOURTH CONTINGENT

Evening Star, Issue 11188, 13 March 1900, Page 2

THE FOURTH CONTINGENT

The Monowai is to convey the OtagoSonthland men to South Africa.

Colonel Webb went out to the camp yesterday afternoon. To meet him the Contingent wpre formed up and saluted. The colonel,' accompanied by Captain Stronach' and Surgeon De Lautour, maffe aq Inspection of the men, and then intimated' officially that be was taking over the camp on behalf of the Government. The men Were then dismissed. . lUt; order issued last night was as follows rt " Under instructions received from beadT’ ar^ Grs ;, t' Wellington. Lieutenant-colonel u ebb assumes command of the catnp from to-dnv. Captain Fulton will take command m bio. 1 nr the Otago Company; Captain Harvey will take command of No. 2 or the Smithland Company, which will be composed ol the Southland men and other men of the South Island now cn route to join. Lieutenants Hauchop and J. hj. Macdonald are posted to No. 1 Company ; Lieutenants Keddell and Tubman are nested to No. 2 Company. Captain and Adjutant F. Stronach, is appointed camp adjutant; Lieu-’ teinuit G. W. WDonald is ’ appointed camp quartermaster; Captain Inee and Lieutenants Morris, Prain, and Freeman are attached to, the camp for general staff and instruction duties. From to-mor-row (he two companies will he kept separate as regards tents and horse-lines. The camp quartermaster will’ Rtylco the necessary' arrangements with captains of companies.*' The School Teachers’ Committee (Messrs Walter Kudey, J. Waddell Smith, John M. Nicolson, Misses Catherine Haig and Alice M. Andrew) forward-the. sum of £IOO, the subscription' of the teachers of thp public schools of Otago, to provide a horse and equipment each for their late comrades. .T. R. Macdonald and R. G. Tubman. About 2SO teachers, representing almost the full • staff of about 120 schools, have subscribed to the fund.' Tlie Committee am especially thankful for the hearty response te ilieir appeal from the country teachers, seme of whom in sn>all schools subscribed very handsomely indeed. It is proposed to call‘a ?n«tiijg of the subscribers on Friday evening to give Lieutenants Macdonald and Tub war. a send-off. ' -

About 100 uniforms will be fitted on at the camp on-Thursday morning. Colonel Penlou will be in town early next week.

Miss Marks has forwarded a number of books and magazines for the use of (ho “ hoys ” while on board the Monowai.

Mr Ben Fuller has extended an imritation to the Contingent to visit the Alhambra. Theatre any' evening convenient to themselves,' and has decided to give the entire proceeds of to-morrow evening's entertainment; to the Contingent Fund. The six “ emergencies ” will he taken ; the full strength of the Otago-Smithla'nd Companies will thus be 156, exclusive of officers. Lots of “ tie hoys ” regret that Captain Price is not going. Country members of both Contingents are invited to make free qse of the rending room at tie Athenaeum, where they will find the latest country papers, periodicals, magazines etc. "

The Mayor of Port Chalmers invites ladies willing to assist at the afternoon ten to the Fourth Contingent on Departure Day to meet him in the Council Chambers to-morrow evening.

lie Port Chalmers Committee are calling for tenders for the erection of three arches and barricades for Departure Day.

Smart work! \esterday, in consequence of a report brought up by some members of the Organising Committee, it was decided to give each trooper two grey flannel shirts and two pairs of trousers to be worn on hom’d ship, and thus save the regular equipment. The Committee gave the older, and instructed that the articles should be delivered within twenty-four hours. They were supplied within three hours. Ross and Glendining did it. ,

lii compliance with a deputation from the Retailers’ Association supporting the requisition sent by the principal shopkeepers in town to the mayor ydkterday His Worship requests the citizens to observe .Saturday, the 2ith inst., >as Anniversary Day. instead of the 26rd. The shopkeepers trill therefore close up for the week on Friday night. Tile hjonowai, which has bsen chartered in connection with the conveyance of the Fourth Contingent, has accommodation for 230 men and a like number of horses. She will be fitted up as a transport-immediately she comes out of quarantine. Efforts are etiil being made to despatch the Fifth Con tipgent also on., the 24th inst., but this depends on the view taken by the Central Hoard of Health w to the quarantine regulations. It is proposed to quarantine the crew of the Gymerio at Soames Island and to provide her with a fresh orew. The vessel will be fitted up while in quarantine. A dav or two will decide definitely whether the Fifth Contingent are to be despatched on Saturday week. The Gymerio has accommodation for 450 men. The Monowai will embark the men at Port Chalmers. The Railway Department is satisfied that it will bo'in a position to overtake the traffic on the 24th. As was the case on the occasion of the Canterbury send-off, all the available rolling stock is to be collected for the occasion. THE REND-OFF. The Demonstration Committee called for tenders for erecting the platforms on the Oval ; hut on mature consideration it has been deemed wiser to do the work themselves. The .Committee have therefore pnb on three foremen who are. to carry out. Mr J. Hislnp's instructions, and that gentleman will attend to supervise. Mr Speight is in this mutter acting on behalf of the Committee, and he. will employ the. workmen; This morning the Committee went to the ground and arranged the plans of oaths, > gates, exits, etc. The arrangements include the roping off of two large reserves for the general public. His Worship (be Mayor has promised to hare the rubbish heap attended to and mado sightly and decent for occupation ; and the trees are to be trimmed, the fence strengthened, and other things done to make the Oral lit for the great function. The Committee Are asking the mover to arrange that all the streets between' Park street to the south and Moray place north (the European Hotel) in the other direction be closed to vehicular traffic between 10.30 and one o’clock on the 24th, and that the route of the procession he kept clear. Those persons who will have tickets for the stands and wish In drive to the Oval will approach by way nf Cumberland street and the Anderson Bay road. No Ira ns or carriages excepting those nf the Governor and the official party jvill be admitted into the ?ndosurc. This morning Mr James Mills saw the Committee and kindly told them that they can have the Mourn and the Te Anau for ilia transport of the troops and the guestn , to Port Chalmers. It is expected that the i Hinemoa also will be available. If so, the arrangement will he that the Governor, the Premier, and the other speakers, with the members of Parliament and the Organism" Committee, will go by the Hinemoa-, while : the Mourn will take the troops and their i relathes, and the Te Anau evil] carry the other guests. Those will all receive free' tickets. Other vessels will no doubt he on hand to convey the public at a stated charge. ' ’The volunteers will probably be taken to Port by train immediately after the ceremony. All the country bands are expected to be present. They are to have free railway pa«?€s. ' J Captain Davis has expressed bis willingness, to organise the old Imperial service men for the procession, and Major S. N. Brown has been asked to get together as many ex-volunteers as possible. It would be a. nsce thing if these old volunteers were * also to receive free prases from the iountry. The Committee arc looking well io the arrangements for feeding the men. The volunteers will find luncheon served in the train on the way to Port, and (ho troopers arc to have refreshments for themselves and their relatives on the Mourn. THE CAMP. The two companies went out to the beach this morning and were drilled separately by their respective captains. About a quarter-past one Dr Watt was called to St. Clair to look at a niaa who bad been dragged out of the ocean. The bpdy showed no sign of life. This afternoon all hands were emploved under Quartermaster G. W. M’Donald in'rearranging the camp. Every other tent was pulled down and transported to the southern .side of the enclosure. The idea is to make

room for the Northerners. The men now in cump will use the tents on the new uito, eight men going into each lent, and the old site is to ho occupied by the new arrivals ■ i® B ,they, come in. The horse lines arc also Being rearranged. In' this busy scene the various parties set to very willingly, and thorn was some smart work as -(he result 'of ft little wholesome competition. In our paragraph of yesterday suggesting informally a vote of thanks to the officers ■who carried on the camp up to the point of Its being taken oyer the "name of Lieutenant f». W. M’Donald was inadvertently omitted. That oversight is repaired in the following letter, which‘speaks for itself, Headquarters, Garrison Hall, Dunedin, 13th March, 1200.-Caplain Stronach, officer in comjnond, camp.—Sir,—As wo have received intimation that the Government have taken over military charge of the camp, we deem it fitting to express to you and to Captain Price. Quartermaster 'hi Indoo, and Lieutcnats Morris. Freeman G W JTDonald, ami Prain onr high appreciation of the valuable services of vourself, and your officers in training the men and managing the camp. When Ahe people of the province realise the self-sacrific-ing work yon have put into this movement, we Iteelsnrothat there will be no lack of general apnre'Ciation on the part of the pnblic. V/e desire you |to especially convey to Veterinary Captain Snowball the thanks of, the Committee for‘the i valuable time he has. ungrudgingly given at the camp. The results of the inspection have been most satisfactory. Kindly also convey to flic noncommissioned officers of your troop the thanks of the Committee for their valuable labors. My Committee trust that you will continue to assist ns, and big to assure you that we shall be all prond hereafter and well pleased if we can assist , ?p ur troop or further its prospects in any wav.— i ours faithfully, E. F, Duthie, Hon. Secreta-y. [Pee United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, March 13. ■Thfl horaea from the Wellington camp for the Fourth Contingent are to be sent South by tho Hawca on Thursday. The Monowai takes the men South on Saturday, where they will join the Otago and Southland men in camp. It is expected that Captain Walker will have command of the Auckland section of the Fourth Contingent, and that Lieutenant Pringle will bo promoted to the command c{ the Wellington section. CHRISTCHURCH, March 13. The Premier telegraphed to the editor of tho ‘Press’ yesterday that the Government would be happy to forward oases of comforts fer the Fourth Contingent in tho troopship. Kinsey and Co., agents for the Gymcric, have agreed to carry 'the casts freight free. Tho * Press ’ learns from the Premier that ♦ here will be 400 men in the Fourth and 600 men in the Fifth Contingent.