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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7331, 18 May 1885, Page 4

It is difficult; to understand exactly what the Secretary of State for War meant by his statement in the House of Commons

that it was not considered expedient or satisfactory that the Australian contingent should visit England before returning to their colonial home. The only thing that would apparently render it inexpedient is the question of increased expense. It would, of course, be cheaper to send the members of the corps direct to Sydney than by way of England. But this is hardly a consideration that should in the circumstances have much weight, especially after the liberality shown by the Government of New South Wales iti placing and maintaining the contingent in the Soudan at their sole expense., and also in. presenting the whole oi: the horses accompanying it as a gift to the War Office. As for the alleged unsatiefactoriness of the proposals, thai; is disposed of by the reflection that il; would certainly be a source of peculiar pleasure to the contingent to see tho country to which its services had been so loyally offered. A large proportion of itn members must be of colonial birth, and know little or nothing about the United. Kingdom, save by report. It is therefore only natural that they should wish for..an opportunity of witnessing with their own eyes the sources of strength at the headquarters of that Empire whicli they are proud of belonging to. Them can be no doubt, too, that it would be u

special gratification to many in this mother country to see the brave band oi: men who came from the remotest portions of the Empire, prepared to foco danger and death for the sake of those interests .which are common to the United Kingdom and ell its colonies, The impression made on the mind of the British people by the spontaneous offer of help at a critical period in the history of. the Empire was very marked, revealing, as that did to them, not only the real unity of that Empire, but also a hitherto unthought-of and a growing source cf power. That this impression would be deepened by the actual appearing on the 'shores of old England of the men who are the living representatives of that important union will not be questioned. Nothing could more tend to strengthen the sentiment which swayed all hearts both in the colonies and in Britain when this new-born 'sense of oneness was developed to the astonishment and admiration of the world ; and it would certainly not be a wise policy to allow more economic considerations to weaken its force.