Seventh Contingent.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 49, 27 February 1901, Page 2

Seventh Contingent.

Per Press Association,

Auckland, last night.

Auckland’s sixty-six men for the Seventh Contingent left Onehunga yesterday for Wellington by the Rotoiti. A large crowd assembled on the wharf to witness their departure. All present sang “ God Save the King.” Cheers were given for the departing troops, for the boys at the front, and “ Home Sweet Homo” was sung as the ship moved off, followed by the firing of the ship’s guns. Invercargill, last night. The Southland section of the Seventh Contingent, numbering twenty-two, left for the North this morning.

SEND-OFF FROM AUCKLAND. DR ERSON’S SPEECH. . COMPARISON WITH GISBORNITES. (Special to Times). Auckland, last night. Tho Auckland batch of the Seventh Contingent that sailed last evening for Wellington do not by any means come up to the average of the previous contingents despatched from these shores. A large concourse of people visited Onehunga to witness the departure of the men. The Mayor of Onehunga, Dr Erson, addressing the men at the ship’s side, said: —

“Members of the Auckland Seventh Contingent for service in South Africa—■ .This is theseventh time that I have had the honor of bidding farewell to your fellow brothers in arms who have gone forth to fight the battles of our Empire. You all well know the honor which has redounded to our colony by the action of previous contingents from New Zealand. Wo feel that we place in your own hands an unsullied record of bravery and loyalty to our throne and Empire, and that you will uphold it equally with those “ sons of the Empire ” who now return with you, eager once again to fight for the Empire in the same manner as they so eagerly volunteered to do more than a year ago. To your -•First Contingent I said, in leaving Onehunga : ‘ Go; and may the God of Battles defend you.’ To you I now invoke the same aid, and I feel sure that that prayer will be answered, and that individually you will uphold the honor of our colony and reflect credit upon New Zealand.” The Auckland sections despatched to South Africa are not very brilliant horsemen. Consequently the riding tests given here have not been very severe. It would indeed have opened Aucklanders’ eyes if they had witnessed the Gisborne men going through their riding tests. “ Banjo ” Paterson was heard to say that the riding tests given to the Gisborne boys were the severest given in the colony.