THE ORIENT’S CONTINGENT

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1509, 31 January 1901, Page 55

THE ORIENT’S CONTINGENT

WELCOMED TO WELLINGTON. A GENUINE AND HEARTFELT -. . . GREETING. The arrival of the Orient with her complement- of returning soldiers was awaited with eager interest by a large crowd 1 on Friday morning. The Orient arrived in the stream early in the morning,., and at 9. o’clock the HoiisT- J. G. Ward (Acting-Premier), W... C.. Walker and C. H. Mills, accompanied by the Mayor of Wellington, , Colonel Fenton and Major Owen went out to meet her. The Acting-Premier, on behalf of the oolony, and the" Mayor, on behalf of the citizens, extended to officers and men alike a hearty welcome home. The Orient then steamed slowly up the harbour., and was brought alongside the Queen’s Wharf, where an eager crowd was in waiting. An animated exchange of greetings and.compliments at once .commenced between those a~ ship and' ashore, and the impatience of many of the latter was betrayed by gestures and exclamations, especially the ladies.. *. .V ■" ' ; r The- welcome was quiet and seemly las was becoming. There was only one demonstration, and that was when the .men commenced to leave the ship and to walk down the gangway on to the wharf', 1 hen a salvo of hand-clapping occurred, which had the genuine ring about.'it; and which was as effective a tribute of admiration as wouk. have been the hoarse" cheering of a thousand throats.** ! ,

SPEECHES OF WELCOiME. Shortly : a fter .12:30i ; the men left the ship, ail'd,- escorted by sixty/mounted members of the Sixth; Contingent, marched to the Drillshed, where a lunr cheon, prepared by Mr j. God her, awaited them. The Hon J. G. Ward

presided, having on his right Lieutenant . Hughes, and on his left the Mayor of Wellington and Lieutenant Chaytor. There were also’ present the Hons W. ;C. Walker,- C. Mills', Mr J. G. W. Ait. ken; Captaiu Kershaw and the officers

of the Orient, Colonel Penton and staff officers,- Sjr Arthur Douglas, Mr Cox (representative of the Federal lino**of steamers), Mr H. Beauchamp, Hon H. Feldwick, Hon F, H. Fraser, Mr A. R. Atkinson, .M.Jl.Rand other leading citizens. . ... r .--.-■■-h:).. • ; The Acfcing-Premici;, addressing those present, said that owing to circumstances of which they were all aware,... no formal toasts would be given. The Mayor saia that though out of respect to the memory or their late

Queen the people of Wellington had not made any great public demonstration in - honour of. the" returned soldiers who were now. before them, deep down in ihe hearty of;, all . of ih.ein :w&s a feeling

of joy at their safe home-coming. The Acting-Premier welcomed back the officers aud men now before him. Thev had done credit to themselves and 'to the colony, they had earned the euoomiums of the British generals, and he was proud to say those whom they had left behind them were too carping laurels —were worthily following their example, a; Colonel Pen ton 'also addressed, j the men .apd thanked; them for their services. I , . . !...*■ * The gathering dispersed in silence.

THE TROOPSHIP. The Orient, orTmperial Troopship No. 24, of the Orient Steam Navigation Company's fleet, which brought the men back from South Africa, was built as far back as 1879, but re-engined in 1898. She is a vety fine vessel, being much more roomy, than even the latest types of liners and having conveniences for the comfort of passengers which are superior to those in many later vessels of similar, construction. She was the first liner built with promenade decks, and these are evert now, of remarkable extent. An interesting feature cf the vessel is a little hairdressing saloon and tobacconist’s shop, complete ,in every detail, even to the coloured pole announcing its location. At every turn the visitor is reminded of the vessel’s conversion into a. transport ship. The troop decks for the men are airy and roomy. Numerous hooks hung in the oeiling show how the men sleep—in hammocks, which in the daytime are stowed »way and give plenty qf room for dining, and recreation in bad weather. The Orient is purely an infantry troopship, provision being only possible for a limited number or horses, .: The vessel is of accommodating 94 officers and 1254 men. Altogether, the" Orient-is particularly well adapted for the class* of work she has been engaged'in since the outbreak of sho South African war.-.. . }