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Grey River Argus, Volume LVII, Issue 10520, 16 December 1901, Page 2

As there seems to be little doubt that New Zealand will send still another contingent to help in stamping out the last embers of the war, we would strongly urge Government to enrol the Eighth Contingent on different -lines to all the others by making it the lightest physically. Preference should be given to light men, provided the physique is sound and satisfactory in other respects. Their equipments should also be as light as possible. Only lately, it appears, that the value of light-bodied men has dawned upon the military authorities. Lord j Kitchener having decided to organise a mobile column.of all light men hi the lightest Cape carts for the purpose of following up and running down the flying gangs of broken and scattered commandos. It must be obvious that light men will have a better chance of overtaking the retreating Boers than and fourteen stone men, for whom there is always some difficulty in providing adequate mounts. The old shock theory, for which heavy men and horses have always been deemed so necessary in army tactics, should find no place in cavalry operations in .South Africa, The Boers have shown as much reluctance to face a charging body of horsemen as to face a bayonet charge. Their tactics mainly consist, in surprises, rapid retreats, and swiftly reuniting for aggressive purposes when opportunity served. There are plenty of light and active young men in the colony who would be glad to take part in the war in defence of the Empire, but who could not be accepted under existing regulations.. "We believe that a contingent of young men of that, class would be found as effective for general purposes as any of the seven contingents already at the seat of war, and far better than any other for the special duty of hauling down the Boers. It does not require * particularly heavy man to use a rifle. In every Boer commando there was a goodly proportion of boys of 15 and 16 years of age, who seem to have been, quite as effective as older and heavier men. We therefore hope that Government will seriously consider this suggestion and see their way to making use of our lighter and smaller stamp of young men. If this is done we feel certain that Mr Seddon's only fear will prove conect, and that his greatest difficulty will be that of selecting from the numbers *ho will offer themselves. And they should hot be bound in any way to return to New Zealand, as many of ihem might prefer to remain in South Africa . after things have quietened down. Haying served their eoua try's purpose, they should be left perfectly free * as' to * their future actions, South Africa will want a

great many people to develop its'land and mineral resources after the war, and there can be no better stamp of men for these purposes than the young colonials. We dwelt on this subject when the Seventh Contingent was being raised, though we had no thought then that an eight would be required.

At an early hour this morning, and after the foregoing comments regarding an eighth contingent .were in type, we received an advertisement by telegram on the matter, which appears elsewhere, and by which the latest . standard is adhered to. But we*?make no doubt that the authorities will be induced to modify the conditions somewhat further. r ;