INTERESTING CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealand Mail, 15 February 1900, Page 35

INTERESTING CORRESPONDENCE.

COMMAND OF THE_ ROUGH-RIDERS ATTITUDE OF THE GOVERNMENT. MAJOR FOX NOT TO GO. A uS RIS I9 HURCH > February 7. the Mayor a ? d £ es ?ed by Colonel Fox to command of £ l +v ll " rch re S2 rdiu g the Published +h' tbe t} M rd contingent is mand 0 f tlm t * cannot go m comot the contingent. I would have

gone with much pleasure had I thought the Government of the colony desired my sendees. My services were at the disposal of the Government when the first contingent was formed. I would gladly have gone in command of the second contingent. I was only too glad to place myself at the disposal of the Government in response to -the request ,of your committee, in order to command the third, pontingent. You informed the Premier of. this fact on Saturday evening, 3rd inst,, and that I requested a definite answer by noon to-day (sth inst.) It was a matter in which the Premier would have had no difficulty in giving you a definite answer _at once. Your telegram states that no definite answer can be given until after the meeting of Cabinet on Wednesday. yAs between the time you could expect Yo receive an answer and the date when the contingent is t imed to leave, I would not have reasonable or sufficient time to get a manager, instruct him in the work I want done, settle up my affairs, get horses, uniform, kit, etc., and see to the work of the contingent in camp in the way I should like and consider necessary, I regret that I have been obliged to inform you that my offer of going in command must be withdrawn. I desire you to understand that I was perfectly willing, -much against my personal wishes and interests, to leave my wife, my children and my home. I have no hesitation in stating that few in New Zealand are as competent both in knowledge and experience to command as I am. Considering those things and the scant courtesy which my offers have received from the Government, I have no further wish to command this or any other contingent which may be sentfrom New Zealand. I shall always have a ieeling of gratitude to you and to your committee for the honour you have done me. It shows me that there are men in New Zealand who appreciate the work I did during five most disagreeable and thankless years spent in the service of the colony.”

With reference to the request made by the Christchurch war committee that Colonel Fox should be appointed to the command of the third contingent, the Premier on the Bth telegraphed to the Mayor of Christchurch on the subject. Mr Seddon in his message says that in his opinion the protest of the committee to the preferment of Major Jowsey was unreasonable, seeing that the Government in appointing him to that position definitely stipulated that his acceptance as captain of the South Island Company should not prejudice his being appointed to command the contingent. Moreover, the Imperial Government by a despatch of October 3rd stipulated that no one should be appointed to command of higher rank than that of major. This was respected with regard to the first and second contingents, and thp Government can see no reason to deviate from it in respect of the third contingent. It had been intimated that Major Robin would cheerfully serve under Colonel Fox, but the Government is determined that no officer shall be appointed to take a senior position to Major Robin, unless perhaps “we come across a Von Tempskey.” Why exception should have been taken to the selection of Major Jowsey the Premier is unable to understand, as satisfaction had been expressed at liis appointment to command the South Island Company. The Premier points out that, had he known of Major Jowsey’s services and efficiency at an earlier date, it is quite possible he would have received a command in the second contingent.

The following telegrams have passed between the Mayor of Christchurch and the Premier:

“To the Right Hon the Premier, “My committee do not claim the right to appoint the commanding officer of the third contingent, but as Wanganui, Napier and Canterbury are unanimous in considering that Colonel Fox is undoubtedly the most suitable officer available, and which opinion we believe, is shared by the officer commanding the New Zealand forces, we think our wishes should be entitled to every consideration. I have already pointed out that Colonel Fox only ranks as a major in the Imperial service, but in any case, if sent from here, he would accept the rank, position and title of major. Furthermore, his relative position as regards seniority with Major Robin would be identical with that cf Major Jowsey. “Regarding the claims of volunteers, I may remind you that Captain Cradock was not a volunteer.

“ Respecting the captain to the Canterbury Company, we claim the right to make this appointment, subject to your confirmation. After most careful inquiries we satisfied ourselves upon Major Jowsey’s fitness to command our company, and on our recommendation you confirmed the appointment, and, so far as I remember, without any reservation. We know of no other available Canterbury man to whom we care to trust the Jives of our ’Canterbury boys. You state that, had you been aware of the services and efficiency of Major Jowsey, you would probably have appointed him to a command in the second contingent. We make a strong point of this: We, so to speak, were the first to discover that he was a high-class and efficient officer, as shown by the fact that you overlooked him in connection with the second contingent ; and now that we have been the means of bringing him before your

notice it is unfair to take him from us • at the eleventh hour. If you insist GI V this you will embarrass us and npset all our arrangements. At the same •• were the only officer suit- • able for the command, we should, in the public interests, waive our- claim ; but. you have in Colonel Fox an officer.; available for the command ; of 1 the whole contingent whose qualifications'-: are unquestionable. Your "own words' in your telegram to me on the 6th Feb- ‘ ruary were—‘Have decided to; place Major oowsey in command, he being; m opinion of the Commander of the Forces next to Colonel Fox.’” \V. Reece “Mayor of Christchurch.” “To W. Reece, Esq., Mayor of Christchurch, — M entirely disagree with the views or your committee, as expressed ip telegram under reply, that Colonel Fox is the most suitable officer available to take charge of the roughriders’ contingent. The success of the contingent now in South Africa demonstrates that our own trained volunteer officers and men are for the particular class of fighting which has to be done the right men m the. right place, where resource, daring and pluck are wanted. There has been no discourtesy on the part of the Government, nor have we been in the slightest degree inconsiderate. I informed you when in Christchurch recently that I would place the views of your committee before Ministers and give you a reply within a given time. Then I mentioned, before that period had elapsed, in fact on Monday, that Colonel Fox had by telegram withdrawn the offer he had made to your committee, and told them he was going to attend to his own private business, and would not take the position if offered. This being so, it is inexplicable to me that your committee should now press his appointment. Of course, the committee are the best judges of the fitness of things, so far as they are concerned. You would require to ask Colonel Fox to reconsider his decision. Presuming you wish the Government to he a party _to this, and supposing we were so disposed, which we are not, and supposing Colonel Fox were to adhere to the position stated in his letter, what, I ask, would be the position of your committee? The proper and dignified course for the Govern-

ment to follow is to adhere to the decision arrived at. I feel very confident that we. have in this colony several volunteer officers efficient, capable and willing to take charge of the present rough - riders’ contingent and other contingents if the necessity arises. In offering the appointment to Major Jowsey we had hoped our doing so would have given satisfaction to your committee, and being in charge of the whole contingent, he still controls the South Island Company, in which you very naturally are so much interested. You are quite right in saying that the committee mentioned had stated they concurred in the views of your committee, and I know how this happened. Major Jowsey took command of your company on the clear and expressed condition that his doing so would not prejudice his being placed in command of the contingent. My only regret is that I did not then offer him the command of the contingent. Had this, been done, your committee would not, I assume, have demurred. However, Ministers have unanimously offered the command to Major Jowsey, and if he accepts I feel sure. lie will prove himself to be an efficient and capable officer to command the Canterbury Company of the rough-riders’ contingent. I regret that you should have come to the conclusion that in the whole of Canterbury there is only one officer capable of taking charge of the Canterbury Company. In my opinion there are several who are not only qualified to take charge of the company, but also of the contingent, and to inferentially slight them, in order to elevate others, would not be patriotic, nor would it tend to encourage the volunteer movement in Canterbury. You are entirely wrong as to seniority as between Colonel Fox and Major Robin, for the Commander of the Forces has informed m.e that Major Robin would not object to serve under Colonel Fox; and the Commander ought to know. . » “R. J. Seddon.-” The following further correspondence has passed between the Mayor of Christchurch and the Premier on the question of Major .Fox’s appointment to the command of the rough-riders’ contingent:

From the Mayor of Christchurch to the Premier—“My committee took it for granted that you would understand Major Fox had placed his services at our disposal for the command of the third contingent before we telegraphed recommending his appointment. As, however, the Government has now definitely appointed Major Jowsey to command the third contingent, Major Fox has acceded to our urgent request that he should command the Canterbury Company. Seniority as regards Major Jowsey can be arranged by antedating the commission of the latter. We rely upon your permitting us to select one from the drill instructors to be attached to our company for the purposes of instructing signalling, etc. We trust this solution of the difficulty will be satisfactory to all. Kindly reply as early as pos-

sible.—(Signed), W. Reece, Christchurch.” . •;, To this the Premier has replied as follows: “The Government has carefully considered your committee’s last recommendation.' -The conditions imposed are not possible. The Government quite; • recognises Colonel Fox’s deii. r ? yotir 'cominitteefs wishes, buy in the first placo his commission- &s colonel dates .from 2rid'-May; ; 1892, bird liis* catti-mis sion -in Imperial" Reserve as major dates from the 22nd July, 1893. Major Jowsey’s commission as major dates from 10th June, 1897'. Major dfde 4 from 16th September, 1899, and Major Davis’s from October, 1899. For the purposes of maintaining proper seniority of our own Officers we can adjust same from date of embarkation of contingent, and intend to do so ; but in legard to Colonel Fox’s Imperial Reserve commission as major we cannot interfere, nor can we see our 'way to antedate Major jowsey’s by seven years without doing injustice 'to other officers. If Colonel Fox joined as captain, we could not take away his Imperial rank as major, which, of course, would make him senior to Captains Madocks, Hayhurst, Hutson and Ghavtor—even if it did not result in complications with’ our major’s seniority. Ike Commander of the Forces is strongly opposed to your request to send one of our drill instructors, who are Imperial non-commissioned officers. We are already ehorthanded, 1 and as volunteers are to be increased by 2000 men, it would be most undesirable to send away one of them now, as such would be detrimental to volunteer service. I may add that beyond telegrams from your committee, and what 1 have seen in the public ' press Government has no official communication from Colonel Fox respecting his wish to be appointed to the third contingent, and we feel that to appoint to a subordinate position one "who held the rank of Commander of the Forces might cause an awkward feeling with those officers who had previously served under him. I regret, therefore, the Government does not see its way to give effect to your committee’s request—(Signed), R. J. Seddon.”