THE TENTH CONTINGENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11950, 26 April 1902, Page 5

THE TENTH CONTINGENT.

THE NORFOLK AT SYDNEY.

SHIP'S COOK DROWNED AT SEA. By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright. ' Sydney, April 25. The troopship Norfolk, -with the South Island Battalion. of the New Zealand Tenth : Contingent, which has. arrived from New Zealand, had a good passage, and the;men and horses are all in good condition. * Beyond a little seasickness at the start, the* health of the troops has been excellent.. The chief incident of the voyage , was > th« •. loss of the ship's cook, Henry Darby. ".' When" a day out he jumped or fell overboard. The boats- were unavailing'..? launched.>Th» deceased's wife and three children wer« on board. -v-: 1 ' ; , ];■','■:■>'/■ t ' (Received April 26. 1.10 a.m.) , .' Sydney, April 25. , The Norfolk is coaling andtaking i* [ 12,000 carcase of mutton. She is expected to sail to-morrow. The managing director of the Federal Company entertained i the officers at dinner, and subsequently, at the* theatre. - : . .' ■ '■--' ■■■ :, ' Darby committed suicide. Bidding good*' bye to his comrades he suddenly jumped overboard. His wife and family were nob aboard. They reside at Paddington, and met the Norfolk. - [by tklkcravh,—press ASSOCIATION.] .-:;•,' ■!,. '■;.'i--■"■!•: ■■; J Wellington-, Friday. c With reference to the drowning , ofr th«' cook of the transport Norfolk, reported by cable to-day, a message announcing the fact was found on Wednesday last in ft bottle picked up ou Island Bay. beach by a girl named Antrabus. It was written on?■ a piece of an envelope, and ran:—'' Sun-' day, April 20. Cook jumped overboard.« 1 Skkgeant Booth, Trooper Edgkoumhe,; Troopship '. Norfolk.'' The find was reported to the newspapers, but in view, of the frequency of hoaxes in messages of the kind, it was decided, rather than cause possible needless anxiety to relatives, to withhold publication until the statement should be confirmed. .:.' CnßiSTCHnitcii, Friday. .It is anticipated that there will be c surplus of over £100 in connection with the send-off to the South Island Battalion of the Tenth Contingent, and it has been' decided to recommend the subscribers to permit it to remain in the names of the trustees for future *-j -nditure in connection with any of the contingents.

Speaking at the send-off to the '! South' Island section of the Tenth Contingent last week, the Acting-Premier (Sir Joseph Ward) referred to the battalion as the " Trusty Tenth"— which name he hoped the contingent would be remembered. Major Pennycook, lie said, was proceeding to South Africa in a position of great trust, having under his charge some 650 mm, which, he had been informed, was the largest number that had' ever left the colony in one troopship. He (Sir Joseph) was very ; glad to .hear, from. Major Pennycook , that/the whole of the officers and men were comfortably quartered, and that there was no overcrowding in any part of the ship. He was also glad to learn from Major Pennycook that-th© horses were splendidly housed, and that there was plenty of room in the alleyways i between the horse-lines to enable the horses to be carefully tended in case : of bad weather.. Continuing, Sir Joseph said he trusted they would have a good trip ; to South Africa, and if any difficulties were encountered by them they would be able to overcome them triumphantly., In the Maori members of the Coronation Contingent which was accompanying them., they had a body of men who were a, credit to the native race, and ho could truly say they were Nature's gentlemen. f He felt sure that they would do . credit in London, not only "to the native race, bub to the colony as a whole. The other members of the Coronation Contingent | were also a fine body of men, which had been specially selected, and to them they looked to seethe splendid traditions already made by the New Zealanders under arms -in South Africa maintained in the L important * functions which they were specially sent to London to take part in. Addressing the officers of the " Trusty Tenth," Sir Joseph wished them and their men a safe trip, and should they have to fight in South Africa, he wished them success. To all the men on the troopship, on behalf of the colony, "he wished God-speed and a safe return after the performance of their duty.

A POSSIBLE ELEVENTH CONTIN- , "■'.'/ : jf->. GENT. ,-.:,; [BY telegraph.— correspondent.] _ Wellington, Friday. I am given to understand thai; before the Premiers departure he intimated to certain applicants for officers' appointments in the Tenth Contingent, that ther must bold themselves in readiness to take Hervice in an Eleventh if the peace i negotiations were resultless. :-,'•