THE EIGHTH CONTINGENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11852, 2 January 1902, Page 5

THE EIGHTH CONTINGENT.

DEPARTURE OP THE AUCKLAND ', . 'r[- .■:"■ SECTION. - A &UIET FAREWELL. '"' On the first morning of the New Year the Auckland section of the Eighth -New Zealand Contingent for South Africa left en route for Wellington, where ; they are to camp .till arrangements are- completed for the despatch of the contingent to South Africa. The send-off was, comparatively; speaking, a quiet and undemonstrative one. Two years ago contingents for the war were leading our shores amid, the greatest i outbursts of enthusiasm New Zealand has ever seen, and the average citizen would as soon have thought of. missing that , flood-tide, in his 'life which is supposed to lead on' to fortune as of not being at the farewell to give the departing troopers a parting cheer. Almost a year ago we had reached our Sixth Contingent, and even then amid the hush of 'the mourning for a great Queen the citizens assembled in great force, unable to restrain their admiration for the men who were still ready to face the dangers and discomforts of the South African campaign. : The Eighth went under somewhat different auspicesThere were no barriers to keep back the crowd, rno packing and jostling in Queenstreet, no scramble for * points -: of vantage from whence to sec the last of our - boys. Doubtless ■ they went : with the same- -good wishes, and perhaps even with a -fuller pride that New Zealand is able to add another thousand to the list of her men who haveseen active service on behalf of the Empire,,; but tha glamour has worn oil. it, '-. the ; departure of a contingent is now taken largely as a matter of course, and so is was that the Eighth left Auckland station with, ib is true, a hearty cheer from those around them, but the crowd was by no means a large one, and certainly this time nobody had any reason 'to complain that they were unable to get a good view of the departing troopers.' . An early start was made at the Domain, where the men had been in' camp overnight. Tents were struck, and the baggage : sent on ahead to the railway station, and before eight o'clock the troopers were- drawn; up to hear a few farewell woi'ds from the Mayor and Colonel D-i.ics, the officer commanding the district. There were on, parade one officer, (Lieutenant Simpson) and 180 men, the remaining 20 to make up the Auckland section of 200 having failed to turn up in camp. Colonel Davie3 vas in charge of the parade, and was assisted by Sergeant-Major Rogers and Sergeant-Major Carpenter. There was a small gathering of interested civilians. .

When everything was in readiness for the march to the station the Mayor (Mr. .Alfred Kidd), addressing the officers and members of the contingent, said : —" You are about to leave to join with others to form the Eighth New Zealand Contingent for South Africa, Many of you have been in other contingents, and you know what you are undertaking. . To ■ all of you I wish a pleasant passage to your destination and a safe and speedy return, and I do sincerely hope that you will be the last of New Zealand's sons who will be called on to leave her shores, and that you will see the end of this war.; I feel sure you will uphold the dignity and honour of New Zealand, as all the preceding contingents have done. On this the beginning of a new year I desire, on behalf of the city, to wish you a happy; and successful year. May you have a pleasant voyage' to South Africa, and may you speedily return to your homes, having brought the work you are now starting on to a successful and satisfactory issue." h Colonel Davies also briefly addressed the men, stating that one of the : chief duties of a soldier was obedience, and that if they ■ took the orders given them : in a proper ; spirit and showed obedience to their officers everything else would.come natural to them, and they would, like the contingents which had gone" before them, be a credit to their country. , .'The "troopers were then marched by way of ) Symonds-street and Wellesley-street to the Drill Ground, where they were picked: up by the Garrison Band and : played to the railway station. There was no further cere"; mony. : A ; . short pause was given for handshaking, and. then the men stepped into the tiain. 'It was race day, and covered trucks were the best the Railway r Department; could place at the disposal of the contingent,; but their ; convenience ■■ was;: greater than their elegance, for their open sides enabled; all the troopers to see . the last of r:their friends. A few hundred spectators gathered round the station fences and cheered heartily as the train steamed out of tho • station to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne"- from the

Garrison Band. Many of the relations of' the departing troopers accompanied them to Onebunga to take part in the final farewells. -, .. , . . , -«• ,' . Ou arrival at Onchutiza Wharf the troops were; transferred to the Rotoiti withoutceremony. A very large gathering of relatives and ' friends congregated arm in d the; gangway and along the vessel's thwarts, ' . and the inteicening time until the departure was spent in the exchange of farewells. There was no ceremony beyond this. Shortly after half-past eleven the Eotoiti. cast off, and moved into the stream ; amidst;; loud i cheering and counter-cheering, tl-» ; farewell being a most hearty one on both', v sides, Many remained on the wharf until the vessel wwj lost to sight, and the- " Eighth" thus\ started" upon the - career - >'\ which it is, confidently hoped will be a, glorious one. ■. ' ■ VACANCIES IX THE CONTINGENT. As stated, 20 of the men selected failed to take their places at the last moment, and it is probable that ; an additional 20 will be selected to-day or to-morrow.