THE IMPERIAL TROOPS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12424, 13 February 1901, Page 6

THE IMPERIAL TROOPS.

AT MASTERTON. [Per Peess 'Assqciation.] . ' MASTERTON, Feb. 12. The half of the Imperial troops, who visited Ma-sterton yesterday were accompanied by Mr Seddom. -The visitors received an enthusiastic welcome and were entertained by the citizens. There was a large number of visitors from the surrounding districts, and tho crowd which witnessed the arrival of the troops was the largest ever seen here. A party of Maoris danced hakas, and the troops gave an exhibition of physical drill. The men returned to Wellington in tho evening. AT PALMERSTON NORTH. PALMEB.STON NORTH, Feb. 12. Splendid weather prevails to-day for the reception of the Imperial troops. The men arrived her at midday and marched to the Show Ground, where they were welcomed by the Mayor and Borough Councillors, and the member for the district. AT WANC4ANUI. [Per Press Association.] WANGANUI, Feb. 12. The Imperial troops had an enthusiastic "send-off" at 8.30 o'clock this morning, when they left for Wellington. The road fronting the Railway Station was lined with people, who cheered lustily as the train moved off. Major Askwitk and a number of other officers went on a trip to Pipiriki this morning. ; AT WELLINGTON. r! ' [Per Press Association.] J WELLINGTON,' Feb. f2. That portion of the Imperial .representative corps that yesterday visited Master-' ton were to-day entertained at a garden ■party at the Hutt. The 'function was attended by hundreds of people, and the men spent a "very enjoyable ' afternoon.. The? Wanganui section returned to the city this" evening. They met with a cordial greeting at the various towns en route, their welcome at Palmerston North being very whole-hearted!. This evening the officers were entertained at dinner by the Ministry. [From Our Correspondent;] DUNEDIN, Feb. 12. , Captain Pennyc'ook, of the Cvutha Mount-, ed Rifles, intends to 'demand a». official inquiry into the charges made against those members of ibis corps whoi were on street duty-in Dunedin on the night the Imperial troops arrived.., THE INDIAN CONTINGENT. [Per Press Association.] . ■ AUCKLAND, Feb. 12. <• The Indian troops are about town to-day. ; They express themselves delighted with the Auckland climate, and are-making.the most of their stay. They are particularly anxious that the arrangements for their New Zealand tour should include a stay of at least four days at each of tho principal ports. They are not good sailors, and appreciate the rest between each sea voyage. THE COMMANDER AND THE TROOPSHIP. [From Our Correspondent.] .WELLINGTON, Feb. 12. ■ Hearing some criiicaL gossip from Christchurch about the commander of the Inv period Contingent, I have made inquiries in various directions and cannot, .hear of anything of a- similar character here. Colonel Wyndham ia not the land of man who becomes popular in a' day. He is too Spartan in Ids speech for that, wasting no words, indeed, not using quite so many as are, 'in a speech-making, ago expected l of him. But-no. mayor or .minister or official that has come into official contact with.Mm has ever ■ complained , of anything like brusqueness in "his-manner that is approaching'rudeness. The Colonel is a soldier,,not 'ai'"courtier, and everybody here 'recognises •it. • About the- discipline in tho Contingent very little transpires outside the -Britannic, which, by the way, is about as uncomfortable, a troopship as all the rest of His Majesty's ■ troopships, but every .soldier .of any experience that I have spoken to on the subject declares that in a force of many sanall detachments the rjilo must be strict or discipline , must .disappear. The- difficulty is intensified on a, trip like this when as one shrewd officer of our local forces put it, " Everybody is trying to fill them up." - [From Our Correspondent.] DUNEDIN, Feb. 12. Statements have been circulated to the effect that the condition oJ| affairs on board the troopship Britannic is far from.satisfactory. It has been said that the men's quarters on the vessel'are in'a filthy condition, that they are overcrowded, and that offenders against military discipline are. punished with' quite unnecessary severity. So far as could be judged from what happened during the vessel's stay at Lyttelton, there is but little foundation for these assertions. The men's quarters appeared to be clean, and, though to eyes unaccustomed to troopships they seemed somewhat restricted" for the number of persona who have to occupy them, there is, probably, no more crowding than usually occurs on board transports. One, or two of the men were heard, when they arrived from the south, Jo express aversion to sleeping on board, %Ut it cannot be ascertained that any general complaint on that score -was made. Nor is there any evidence 'of unduly severe punishments having been inflicted. Indeed, the ,:rumours in regard to this point seem to be particularly exaggerated. 'lt was stated, for"instance, that a large number of men were in the " cells." When the steamer was at Lyttelton these places of detention had ohe.-per.mar.ent occupant, a.deserter. Again, it was alleged that a hundred man,.were on b'iSard undergoing punishment. As,a matter of fact, there were only about fifty. ?oldiers on- the Britannic when she entered Lyttelton Harbour. A fen- of these were invalids', but the great majority were under punish"ment for misconduct of var-ows kinds. Most of them were mer-ely " confined to barracks," and were not immured in cells. Considering the many temptations thrown "in the men's way on shore, it is not sur-r-risin? that a proportion of them overstepped the bounds set by military discipline. , . L j ■ With regard to the complaints made m Christchurch respecting Colonel Wynclham's brusqueness of manner to civilians, the experience is all the other, way here. All the people, general public «*<!*«**- men, who had anything to do with Colonel Wyndham are high in praise ol tue Colonels and his courtesy. His bearing towards his own men could not Sv be judged, but here the men had notnins but praise to give their commanding officer.

The Wellington " Tost" of Monday says : -Consequent npon the rumours current to the effect that there is considerable dissatisfaction among the soldiers on the Britannic. owing to the land food and accommodation there provided, a representative of this journal visited t" 0 slll P to-day, and was shown the man's quarters. ' They are certainly none too liberal as regards space, and when all are on board at night, the heat must be trying; especially on the lower deck. Still, this might be said of almost every troopship. What the men complain most about is the food, which, though no doubt wholesome enough, is by VlO means over plentiful One man said to our representative, that he had to spend a great portion of his small pav on extras to satisfy his hunger. Taking it all in all, the accommodation, though not quite so badl as .rumour would have it believed, is certainly capable of improvement.