THE EIGHTH CONTINGENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11872, 25 January 1902, Page 5

THE EIGHTH CONTINGENT.

LUNCHEON ON THE TROOPSHIP SURREY. SPEECH BY GENERAL BABINGTON. [BY telegraph. —PRESS association.] Wellington, Friday. The luncheon on board the troopship Surrey to-day was attended by a large number of prominent citizens. - Ministers of the Crown and Ueneral Babington were also present.-'-' The Premier,- in reply to the toast of the Government, said the Ministry, in its reply to the call by the Mother Country, had the people with it all along.. . ■ . /, , _ Replying to his health, General Babington said he could ; speak from experience of the an ew Zeaianders and of the Imperial forces. He had had the honour of commanding New Zealand's Fourth Contingent in South Africa. He found them of the best, and never heard a word other than praise of the Fourth, or of, the men of any of the New Zealand contingents, and British officers who had had the good fortune to command the New Zeaianders were always afterwards anxious to have them under them. He . had been honestly astonished at the welcome accorded him when he arrived yesterday, and he would do his very best to serve the colony. The officers of the Auckland Garrison will entertain Lieutenant-Colonel Davies, _ who goes as officer commanding the Eighth Contingent, at a farewell dinner at the Albert Hotel on Monday evening next, at eight o'clock. . • PRO-BOER SENTIMENTS. MR. BARCLAY, M.H.R., ASKED TO RESIGN. . *, 1 [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION'.] » Dunedin, .Friday. A requisition, signed by - 133 electors, being practically ' all there are in the Ravensbourne district of the city- electorate, has been sent to Mr. Barclay, M.H.R., asking him to resign, 'as . his letters in the press applying the term infamous" to the action of the Imperial, Government prior to the war, and their'subsequent treatment of the - Boer -, women, etc., in the concentration^- camps, is a reflection; upon the colony and. our young men.. in . Africa. .. The : requisitionists consider Mr. - Barclay's; attitude a directencouragement to "the enemy, and as "infamous on; the part of one who holds; a public trust, and has taken an . oath' of fealty to the Empire."