THE NEW ZEALAND CONTINGENTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 81244, 13 March 1901, Page 5

THE NEW ZEALAND CONTINGENTS.

THE FIRST FIVE TO RETURN. TO BE RELIEVED BY THE SIXTH AND SEVENTH. [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, March 12. The Government has made arrangements for the immediate return of members of the first five contingents now in South Africa as soon as the men of the Sixth and Seventh are able to take their places. The Sixth Contingent may be reported as having arrived at any hour, and the Seventh will be due at Gape Town at the end of April. Though the men signed on for a year, or until the termination of the war the Minister for Defence has arranged that the term of agreement shall expire at the end 'of a year’s service, and this limit has expired as to the first three contingents, and as to the Fourth and Fifth ,will be leached dn the course of a few weeks. The Sixth Contingent, now due at Cape Town, will commence the work of relief and will replace the remnant of the first three, and parts of the Fourth Contingent, while the Seventh, now in camp here, will relieve the balance .of the Fourth and Fifth. A month ago a careful computation was\made of the number of our men then in South Africa, or on the way home with the fo)lovying result, (officers and men in each case): First .. „ , . < 17 Second , * . . 177 Third * , 5 ,‘. . 201 Fourth ~ * . . 425 Fifth ~ » . 561 Total . . . . 1381 This number will be diminished by further drafts invalided home, so that the total strength of the Sixth and Seventh, Say 1100 men, will probably suffice for all ■ purposes hi relief.