AUSTRALIAN TROOPS

New Zealand Mail, 15 February 1900, Page 33

AUSTRALIAN TROOPS

LORD ROBERTS’S CONGRATULATIONS. WELCOMING COLONIALS TO THE RANKS.

CAPETOWN, February 7. The troopship Warrigal (from New South Wales) and Euryalus (from Victoria) were visited on arrival here by Field-Marshal Lord Roberts. Lord Roberts declared that the men and horses comprising the New South Wales A Battery of Artillery and the Victorian contingent were in excellent condition. He was, he said, pleased to hear the troops eulogise their treatment on shipboard.

The Commander-in-Chief further remarked that he was very satisfied with the soldierly appearance of the men, and was delighted to welcome them to his ranks, CAPETOWN, February 8. Six hundred of the Australian troops originally sent as infantry under Colonel Hoad have been transformed into mounted infantry. Tfiey are shaping well at their new work, and have been distributed among the troops .occupying responsible positions around Colesberg. The Westralians have been under fire and one of them slightly wounded. All the troops desire .to assure Australia that they are doing good work in the forefront. Capetown residents are supplying the colonials at the front, with fruit and comforts.

_ SYDNEY, February 7. Lore, Roberts has cabled-to the Government saying that he is pleased at the patriotism of the colony, which sent such a useful 1 ody of men as the A Battery: Lieut.-Colonel Airey has been appointed to the command of the Bushmens Contingent. _ , _ SYDNEY, February 8. . Colonel W. D. C. Williams, head of the New South Wales Army Medical Corps, now m Smith Africa, reports that the health of the whole of the Australian troops compares more than favourably aith the condition of the Imperial solheat 8 ' su^er f rom the prevailing the corps under Colonel Williams lias been highly praised by Imperial officers, and has been largely availed of for the British wounded. SYDNEY, February 8. One of the transports provided by the imperial Government will carry the men or the combined bushinen’s contingents, and the other takes 700 horses. The government is now negotiating for a steamer to carry the balance of the ■horses.

T SYDNEY, February 9. in reply to an inquiry from the Secreary of State for the Colonies, the Hon w. J. Lyne, Premier of New South Vales, suggested that the Bushmen’s und raised in London he distributed amongst the colonies in proportion to he number of men each is sending. T , , ADELAIDE, February 7. ii la * ' JOen decided to augment the aouth Australian portion of the Bushmen s Contingent to 100 men. r ri ~ PERTH, February 8. T T?mment of Western Australia for <!Cl .ded to enrol a hundred buslimen tor service m the Transvaal. Tim n BRISBANE, February 8. Ins7ln^ ee , n fc d ’ Meat Export Company nated £ooo to the Bushmen’s Fund, ■pi , . MELBOURNE, February 8. w£h . IVQ the Victorian troop, for uvwlp s ep mate arrangements have been eont ’ f „ ie combined bushmen’s continoffiop-*! S?- tlo other colonies total 42 ohjcoj.s, 900 men and 1145 horses.