RETURNED TROOPERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11724, 5 August 1901, Page 5

RETURNED TROOPERS.

; COMPLAINTS FBOMTAURANGA. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN COEIIESPOXDKXT.] • - Tauraxga,,. Saturday. ■ : The T©: Puke settlers are arranging an elaborate welcome and social to the returning troopers of that, district for the Bth inst., and have extended their invitations to tho returned Tauranga troopers who, so far, have not received any official welcome on coming home from tho war from the Tauranga people. Trooper J. A. Clark, who served all through the campaign in South Africa with the New South Wales .Bushmen, had an invitation sent him which reached here shortly after he left by the Waitangi en route to South Africa again, and this is the only public offer of a reception ho has received, although a purely Tauranga boy, and the other local boys'who Served ;■ in the war have also received the same scant recognition of their services. All returning troopers, of which we have representatives from the Bushmen, the Fourth . Contingent and the South African Light Horse, complain bitterly of their treatment in respect to pay, none of them being able to get fully what they were entitled to on the conditions. they joined, and what was promised them on parade. The returned troopers are also very bittet at not being allowed their discharge and pay in South Africa, if they preferred, as they had to return to get their pay and arc put to all ,the expense of paying their return fare and probably losing billets that were open ,to them and promised. They not only lose time in returning to South Africa, but they also will have much loss funds in hand to start with, and as for getting work on returning home that appears the greatest fallacy of the lot. RETURNED TROOPERS' RECEPTION ;: ; AT NEW PLYMOUTH. ■ After severe mixed weather here for the past month, August 1 was ushered in with reception weather and was greatly appreciated by the large numbers of enthusiastic people bent , on seeing' the colonel arid returned troopers. Long before the arrival of the train bringing the men from the various stations along the-line, crowds of people were- to be seen anxiously hurrying to a good position to witness the proceedings. Tho Okato Mounted Rifles, Taranaki Rifles, Guards and Garrison Band were drawn, tip in lino outside the station platform, and upon arrival of Lieutenant-Colonel Davies, were inspected, ho previously being welcomed along with the troopers on the railway platform. The procession moved off, a halt being made in Egmont-streeb while tho children of all tho publio and private schools sung the National Anthem accompanied by the town band, the final halt being made at the Criterion Hotel, where a public reception took place, tho colonel and men receiving many hearty congratulations on their safe return. Through the afternoon the colonel and returned contingenters witnessed the ever-fascinating game of football (Tukapa versus Inglewood) in the L recreation grounds. In the evening the citizens' ball to the colonel and men was held in the Drill-hall, when there were over 800 people present. The building presented a handsome spectacle with tho various flags and greenery displayed, the beautiful dresses worn by the ladies all adding to the splendour. ■ His Worship the Mayor (Mr. E. Dockrill) formally welcomed the colonel and returned troopers on behalf of the citizens, at the same time mentioning that the coionel had been one of the first men in Maoriland to offer his services for the South African campaign. The Rev. F. G. Evans (chaplain of the Taranaki Battalion) also spoke of the deep interest that had been taken by New Plymouth in " our men" at the front, and hoped that they should not be required again for years to some. Lieut.Colonel Davies, in his reply, warmly thanked .them for the heartv welcome accorded the troopers and himself, and he also thanked the people most sincerely for the kindness displayed to the relatives; of those who were on active service. The colonel made a few short remarks on the campaign, ' after which three cheers were given right lustily, for the colonel and troopers, and the dance programme was started to the sweet strains of Mr. McKimjon Bain's orchestra. At half-past eleven p.m. an adjournment was made to a large marquee, where a splendid supper was laid, the colonel and his gallant troopers being accompanied by the local volunteer officers. After the loyal toast had been duly honoured, the health of the colonel was drunk with enthusiasm. The M.C.'s were Captain Taunton, Corporal Goldwater, Messrs. E. Humphries and F. Thompson. The secretary (Mr. C. T. Mills) and. the various ladies' and gentlemen's committees have every reason to be proud of the successful issue to which they brought the citizens' ball of August 1. , The following are tho names of the list ' of Taranaki contingenters attending, the ball: Lieutenant-Colonel Davies; Captains Bartlett and Nops, Sergtant-Major Morgan, Sergeants Craig, S. R. Palmer and G. \ Paul, Corporal Maxwell, Troopers Allen, W. Bonner, J. W. Brewer, W. ,J. , Browne, W. C. Callaghan, G. G. Calvert, vJ. Cotter, J. Dobbin, M. Duggan, J. A. / Foreman, C. Grubb, J. Goble, G. Hansen, H. C. Hawke, E. A. Hawkins, A. E. Hayward, F. Homeman, T. J. Irwin, A. W. Johnstone, G. J. Johnston, W. T. Joll, N. M. Keane, G. Langman, J. Leech, A. P. Lister, R. Lloyd, C. W. Mackinder, T. McWliirter, E. Meuli, W. T. Nowell, G. M. Payne, S. A. Paynter, J. W. Porter, E. H. Prict, V. Rhodes, T. Richardson, W. J. Rose, B. Rusden; F. J. Schofield, E. W. Speck, F. H. Taylor, G. | Thornton, F and H. P. Valintine, A. Warner and L. Wells.—[Own Correspondent.] ... BRITISH STATESMEN ON THE WAR. Speaking at the annual; dinner of 'the United Club, Lord: Salisbury said:—We have matters of importance to deal with, and this country will be- ruined if we neglect them. We have ;to deal with this great war, into which, according tG my belief, we have been forced. We have to deal with it, and we have tc prevent, from any careless, or thoughtless, or insufficient action on our part, that the results of this geat war should have a dangerous and permanent influence upon the destinies; of the Empire that we protect. Remember that we must not think of this war as though it is a matter merely concerning the > regions of territory -which our troops affect. It is, no doubt, a condition of things deeply affecting the well-being not only of South Africa but of England.■•-'lt affects the wellbeing of England for this reasonthat if we are not true to the'.-. mission we have undertaken, if we do not sustain the doctrines that we have upheld, if we do not show ourselves equal to wielding the force which we profess to wield, the result will be that not only in South Africa but elsewhere our claim to force and power will have no weight whatever, and every nation or people that wish us ill will dare to do it because from the South African example they would have drawn the lesson that we are powerless to defend .ourselves. This is the lesson that I wish you to draw from the present state of things. Do not allow yourselves to be misled by the petty controversies of party or domestic politics. These are not the important things ' for the great c"risis through which we are passing. We are dpfending the territory of the King against the invasion of neighbours J who had in international law no complaint to make against us, and were merely guided' by the greed of territory, by a desire to enlarge the domir nion which they had : already' obtained. This is' the motive which has stimulated them. The motive which should actuate us is to determine to defend to the utmost the rights ot the King, the sanctity of our frontier, the protection of the people who are his subjects, and to bear in mind that unless we now act up to the language we have constantly held, unless we fulfil the professions which we have determinately made, we shall expose every part of the dominions of our Sovereign to the enterprise of those who hate us, and who will have long since learned not to fear us. Therefore it is that I press upon you the most serious possible view of the crisis through which we are passing. I do not intimate for a moment God forbid!—that I doubt of your complete and early victory. But it is no trivial matter; it must not be mixed up with what 1 may call the trivialities of domestic and party conflicts. You have a great work to achieve. If you succeedas you will succeed— will be free from the molestation of those who desire, your territories and would gladly abate the position which you occupy in the 'world. If you tail—which I believe to be impossible (cheers)—you will inform the whole world that it is possible to address to you an ultimatum denying . you access to your— our own—territory; that it is possible to occupv the regions belonging tc the King, and that these things may be done without any effective resistance on your part, and without. any resolution that, happen what may, such opportunity of ill-doing ;ii shall never occur again. (Cheers.) You have to teach them this lesson. You have to show them that they miscalculated your determination, or your power, or your resolution. ; And remember in these days, in this part of the world, where we are all so close together that everybody knows what is doing in the territory of everybody else, that ji

yon allow them to believe that you are un« • ; able or unwilling to defend your", territory, , * ! you will soon find that you have no tern-' I tory to defend. That was the great fault— I do riot for a moment impugn his motive—? [ committed by Mr. Gladstone in the Majaba, ! matter. No" doubt he acted from a high j philanthropic motive; but he did not realj ise that, naving once informed the Boers ! that such resistance as they then showed ' to us would repel our attack and make uspowerless for the protection of our own 1 country, the effect would be, as wo have known from a hundred sources, that the. recollection of the Majuba campaign and a. trust that resistance would be followed by; the same results would induce the Boer Government to piny that desperate-, course which will end in the destruction of th% ; independence of their own country. (Cheers. Well, I ask you, however important, small divisions at dinner time may seem to you ~ to think that : there is ; something more important lying in front of us—that we have - to establish. in the minds of the civilised' world, and especially of the African world, the conviction that 'if our frontiers are violated it will be a bittei time foi those who have undertaken the task. (Cheers.) It ' is only by such conviction that you can be. safe. 'I hope there may be nc such results; ( ; but even if you have to maintain your efforts at v.ome cost of energy and of sacrifice, it, , will be well expended,"rather than that any doubt should be thrown, not only upon that;; bravery, but upon that resolution and that persistent determination by which your Empire has been built, up. S (Cheers.) ; „ ; ' ;- Mr. A. J. Balfour, speaking at a Conser- , :,; vative dinner in London, said:—l would • only put one question to Mr. Morley and. to those ho agree with him. If they were writing the history of this war, not ; going for facts to the temporary opinion of foreign nations, but going for their facts to trustworthy documents, and to facts which are present to the mind of all, would they deny that the truth is being day by day more pressed home on us that when the war broke, out, and the two colonies invaded the Queen's dominions, they did so not as men who took offensive action as the last despairing effort of those who were fighting for. their liberty, but rather as the first step in. -,' a great military drama which was to make them masters of South Africa? I can honestly say that I had no prejudice in favour of this belief. - It seemed to me so wild and monstrous that I fought against it for a long time. I now have no doubt about it whatever. One reason why I fought against it was that I thought, from a military point of view, it was childish and impossible, I took the view, as I could hardly avoid taking , the view, of every soldier without exception in this country who supposed that the military problem in South Africa was incomparably easier than it has turned out tc be... The Boers understood the military problem of South Africa far better than Ave did. The' mistake they made was not a military mistake it was a political mistake. They thought that the Britain of 1899 was the Britain of 1880. (Loud cheers.) It was a- ; natural mistake, but a most fatal onefatal to them, costly to us ; a mistake which has bred, is breeding, and will breed infinite trouble, infinite suffering, both'for South Africa and for England. That is the mistake which they made; and what I should like to put to men who agree with Mr. Morley is : How far have they been responsible for that mistake? (Loud cheers.) How . far have thsy led these unhappy men to believe that a little resistance, a little difficulty, and Britain would yield—yield with a great many fine phrases, yield with a great profession of philanthropic instincts, - but yield substantially, finally, and for ever? Thank heaven! it has nob been so. (Loud cheers.) True it is that both in men and in money : the war has cost us, and may cost us, a great deal more than those most capable of judging anticipated at any of its early stages. But every new military difficulty that we have to encounter will only convince this country the more conclusively that the war " had to come, and now is the time, and now is the only time, on which it must be fought out; and that if there is any yielding or turning—which I do not anticipate (cheers), which nobody anticipates—that yielding or turning will necessarily mean to'this country not merely a humiliation compared with which any humiliation which we have ever undergone will be small and insignificant indeed, bvii will mean the loss to this Empire ■ • oi the whole of South Africa, the abandonment of all those of our own race and tongue who have put their trust in our cause, the destruction for ever of any confidence which any colony, which any collection or Englishmen in any part of the world, can put in their Mother Country, and the final; fail of Britain from her place among '. the great Powers of the world. ,