COLONIAL GATHERING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16372, 28 October 1916, Page 7

COLONIAL GATHERING.

GUESTS AT-MANSION HOUSE., ADDRESS TO LORD MAYOR, TRIBUTE TO DOMINIONS. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 8.15 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 26. i A notable gathering took place at the Mansion House to-day, the Lord 1 Mayor, Sir Charles Wakefield, enter- j taining at luncheon 300 overseas j residents and visitors to enable them to meet the various High I Commissioners and Agents-General. I For the first time in its history the! j Mansion House was devoted to aj I purely colonial function. The guests included Mr. and Mrs. Masj sey, Sir Joseph and Lady Ward, Sir I Thomas and Lady Mackenzie, Sir j James and Lady Carroll, and Mrs. j J Seddon, ! i The Lord Mayor proposed the} toast of the High Commissioners, i !On their behalf Sir Thomas Mae-! kenzie presented to the Lord Mayor j an address thanking him for his gen-' erous hospitality towards the over-! seas troops and his gracious "ccep- j tion of the colonial representatives. i Mr. Bonar Law, Secretary 'if . State for the Colonies, in proposing \ I the Lord Mayor's health, acknow- 1 i ledged on behalf of the British peoI pie, the debt of gratitude which ; they owed to the Overseas Dominions. The war had shown, ho ; said, that we were working as one. I It was true we were winning, but jwc had a long road to go. Our : victories in the past had been won, not by our wealth or even by our courage, but by our staying powers. ,We must still rely on that until i.:tory is gained. AUSTRALIA'S DECISION. INTENSE EXCITEMENT. GREAT PARADE IN SYDNEY.: Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 10.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, Oct. 27. A great military parade was held | to-day. ■ Ten thousand troops took j part, including returned soldiers,! militia, cadets, and " Hughesiliers," j the name given to those recently; called up for training. The streets were thronged and the greatest eni thusiasm prevailed. Intense excitement prevails in view of to-morrow's momentous question. j A general public holiday has been ! declared. The hotels will close i to-night till Monday. PLEDGE TO ELIGIBLE MEN. NO IMPORTATION OF ALIENS. MELBOURNE, Oct. 27. The Australian Manufacturers' Association has issued a manifesto undertaking not to countenance any proposal for the introduction of coloured alien labour to meet any : dearth of labour in the event of the 1 referendum on the conscription question being in the affirmative. I VICTORIA GROSS AWARDED. COLONEL LEADS ATTACK. SINGLE-HANDED EXPLOITS. A. and N.Z. Cable. LONDON, Oct. 26. Fifteen Victoria Crosses have been awarded, included among the recipients being:— Colonel Campbell, Coldstream Guards. Seeing the first two waves of his battalion decimated by machine-guns, he took personal charge of the third line, and led the men until the machine-guns were captured. Later in the day ho rallied the survivors of'the battalion at a critical moment, and turned the fortunes of the day, enabling the division to capture objectives of the highest tactical importance. Major W. La Touche Congreve, Rifle Brigade, for conspicuous bravery. For 14 days prior to his death, during the preparations for the Sonime attack, he continually led parties 1000 yds in front of the British line to acquaint them with the ground. Captain Chavassc, Royal Army Medical Corps, who saved 20 badlywounded men in " No Man's Land." Captain Archie White, Yorkshire Regiment, who during four days and nights showed indomitable courage, and, by his skilful dispositions, held a redoubt against counter-attacks, though short of supplies and ammunition. Private Clark, a Canadian. During the construction of a block in a captured trench 22 Germans advanced, and Clark, using his revolver and two German rifles lying in the trench, scattered them. He pursued them, and shot four. Private Hughes, Connaught Rangers, who dashed out single-handed and captured a machine-gun. Private Thos. Jones, Cheshire Regiment, who went into the enemy trenches single-handed and disarmed 102 Germans in their dug- ' ol 't S - ~ ,n, 1 Private Kerr, a Canadian. Though wounded, he went along a parapet < firing at point-blank range, and inflicted heavy loss. Thinking they were surrounded. 62 Germans surrendered, and 250 yds of trenches ' were captured. BRITISH PENSIONS BOARD, MINISTER AS CHAIRMAN. Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association. 'Received 5.35 p.m.) LONDON. Oct. 26. ! A statement was made in the [ House of Commons by Mr. Asquith i that a Bill will be introduced shortly s to establish a Pensions Board 1 under the direction of a member of the Cabinet.