MARINE ENGINEERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CIII, Issue 12159, 24 March 1900, Page 8

MARINE ENGINEERS.

SPEECH BY THE PREMIER. [Per Press Association.] DUNEDIN, March 23. -.The members of the Institute of Marine Engineers invited the Premier, the Mayor, members of Parliament and -others, this afternoon, to meet them and say good-bye to '-Mr Craig, chief engineer of the troopship Monowai, and the other engineers. The Premier presided, and in proposing the toast of the Union Company and the officers of the Monowai, mentioned that she would bring back from South Africa the men from New Zealand and Australia who were invalided. He regarded the chartering of the Monowai and fitting her out as a troopship as- only the commencement of what -would be necessary in respect to the defence of the colony. The time was ripe for,a representation to the Imperial Government in connection with the -first line of defence, to put every officer in such a position that it might be sajd to the Home Government, “ If you want a naval reserve, here are your men. Put them on your list.” There were engineers in the Union Company’s service who would go on board any of the warships with 'credit. The same might be said with respect to other officers. Give them the opportunity and they would find that as the land forces had proved equal to the soldiers of the Motherland, so the sailors, engineers and others-would prove themselves equal to those of the Home Country. Later on, the Premier said that the Imperial authorities had offered New' Zealand thirty commissions in the British army. He might inform the ■gathering phat there were three New Zealand candidates who had applied for commissions. ’ One of them had passed the examinations, the others -were waiting their chancs when the Government received intimation that, the Imperial Government had granted commissions to all three. One of them, he might add, was the son of Captain Russell, leader of-the Opposition. The Premier presented M'Caig with the Institute of Engineers’ Associates badge, a gold Maltese cross.