THE SIXTH CONTINGENT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1509, 31 January 1901, Page 48

THE SIXTH CONTINGENT.

DEPARTURE FROM WELLINGTON.

A CORDIAL FAREWELL.

The Wellington and Southern companies of the Sixth Contingent for South Africa embarked here on Saturday afternoon on the steamer Cornwall, which is now proceeding to Auckland to pick up the rest of the men and horses. In consequence of the death of the Queen there was no organised celebration in honour of the departure of the contingent. Weather conditions; were very depressing,. for the temperature was low, and a strong souther- ’ ly wind brought up frequent showers of rain, with occasional falls of hail. Notwithstanding these circumstances, citizens made the departing soldiers feel that they carried away with them every good wish. The following is the composition of the contingent: One Lieutenant-Colonel (for .voyage). One Captain-quartermaster (for voyage)* {- Twelve combatant officers One ; surgeon-major. Two surgeon-captains. Two. veterinary supgeons. Five hundred and sixty rank and file, of whom four officers, one veterinary : surgeon, and one hundred and five men ;will embark at Auckland. The officers of the contingent are the following :• — ..• Lieutenant-Colonel Banks, Auckland (for the voyage). ;; Surgeon-Major Skerman (Marton). i:! .1 Captain* N. I. Markham (Auckland) and A. W. Andrew (Hyderabad Lancer s).. ,-o .... .i . Captain and Quartermaster D. Cosagrove,. Christchurch (for the voyage). Surgeon-Captains J. S. Purdy and O’Neill.

Lieutenants A. B. Hose (Wellington), M. H. I. Jones (Canterbury section), R. M. Williams (Christchurch), F. B. Sykes (Auckland. Second Contingent), W. F. Wallis (First Contingent), J. Mitchell (First Contingent), F. A. Wood (First Contingent), John McDonald (First Contingent), W. C. Morrison (First Contingent), and C. Blinkhorn (First Contingent). Five hundred and eighty-eight horses go as mounts for the contingent. Of these, one hundred! and l twenty will bo shipped at Auckland. The Department of Agriculture has selected Mr McEachern, one of its veterinary surgeons, to have charge of the horses during the voyage. He will be assisted by Trooper Treneary, who was in charge of the horses which went from this colony in the steamer Tropea. Both men and horses should fare excellently well aboard the Cornwall, for she is as fine a vessel ae could be desired for transport work, and she is well found. The officers and men of the contingent are equipped' on a liberal scale, and a 20 per cent, surplus stock of clothing and gear is being sent with them. The last night in cam*> at Newtown Park was the reverse of pheasant. Early on Saturday morning the southerly rain squalls blew down many of the tents, and also two marquees. In consequence of the rain the lines were ankle-deep in mud.

In morning orders Lieutenant-Col-onel Banks put on record his appreciation of the services rendered by the officers of the Wellington garrison during the past fortnight. He also specially thanked Captain Henderson, who wa.s camp quartermaster, and Captain Keir, for the work they had done. Further,' he informed the men that he was pleased with the way in which they had behaved themselves while in camp. In the afternoon at half-past tnree o’clock the members of the contingent, other than those who had gone to town or on the wharf oil duty or leave, were assembled on the parade grounc. The men . wore their greatcoats, and a heavy shower made the need for them felt. A few pithy words of farewell advice were addressed to them by the Commandant (Colonel Penton), who was attended by Captain Joyce, Lieutenant Davis and Sergeant-Major B.own. Colonel Penton said: I want to say a w 7 ord to you before you go away. xou are going "away as no other contingent has gone. Unfortunately, we cannot have any bands playing for you or anything of that kind to cheer you on your way But everybody in the colony and vour comrades in the volunteers wish you the greatest success. The colony is proud of you, anu you will be proud of yourselves for having done some work for the Empire. To the officers I say . Take the greatest care of your mem Never ask any man to do a thing that you are not prepared to do yourselves. See to the comfort of the men. Whde you require strict discipline from them, show consideration for them. If you do that, your men will follow you anywhere To the men I say: Obey every sing order given to you. It is not j 0 J to question whether an order is right or wrong. Your business is to obey, even if you have to go and die for it. You are soldiers now. I hope you will all come back to New Zealand a credit tq your colony. I wish you all speed, and a very safe return to the colony when the war is oyer. When you see your enemy, make him run. The Colonel’s last words met with tn® full approval of the men7*and one or two cries of “Hear, hear,’’ were raised. But the Colonel checked them with the order, “Steady! That will do. March offi ,J And the contingent marched out of the Park and through Newtown into the city. The route was along Adelaide road, Sussex square, Cambridge terrace, Vivian, Cuba, Manners and Willis streets, and Customhouse quay, to th® Queen’s Wharf. All the way the footpaths were lined with called out "good-byes” to their acquaintances in the ranks. A row of boys seated on top of a hoarding in Adelaide road sang “Soldiers of the Queen’* as the contingent passed. Here and there a veteran, wearing medals or campaign ribbon® on his breast, stood at attention as th® young brigade marched by. Some members of the Wellington companies were frequentlv hailed by name and wished the best fortune. “Good luck!” uttered with a cordiality that showed the senti ment to have full meaning, came from many lips. At the Basin Reserve the contingent were halted 1 for some minutes. Th© Mayor of Wellington (Mr J. G. W. Aitken) joined the column, at this point. Colonel Penton dismounted, and walked with Lieutenant-Colonel Banks at th® head of the contingent through th® •ity to the p!ac® of embarkation. In addition to the Permanent Militia (under Colonel Messenger) the various Volunteer corps of the city, comprising artillery, navals and rifles, received the contingent at the wharf. A elear passage was kept for them in Customhouse quay and up to the wharf gates. Lieu-tenant-Colonel Collins was in command of the Volunteer parade, with Lieuten-ant-Commander Campbell and Major Brandon.

At the head of the wharf the contingent were formed up, and addressed by the Acting-Premier (Hon. J. G. Ward) and the Mayor. There were also present the Hons W- C. Walker, W. HallJones and C. H. Mills, Sir Arthur Douglas (Under-Secretary of Defence), Lieute nanVCo 1 on cl Porter (commanding Wellington 4i»fcriet>, Licmtenamit-Oolomel Unit, as 4 A4lut*mi Lemas, Jg&v w. Shires'. Rev J. B. RnasffiU. hfe A. R. Atkineon, M.H.R., and a number of prominent citizens. Mr Ward, in the course of a vigorous and appropriate speech, addressed to the eentingent, said the people of the colony wished them God-gpeed, good luck and a safe return after they had performed their duty to their country. A sad circumstance prevented the people of this portion of the colony from giving the contingent as hearty and as enthusiastic a send-off as had been extended to former contingents, but although all celebrations or demonstrations had had to be dispensed with, every member of the contingent knew that the hearts of the people of New Zealand were with him and his comrades. The people sincerely trusted that their mission, would be attended with success. He was sure that, lik® the men from this colony who had pre_ ceded; them, they would do nothing as individuals or collectively that would in the slightest degree disgrace either themselves or their country. He trusted that before long the troubles in South Africa would be ended in a way satisfactory to Great Britain. Mr Ward also referred to the fact that within fifteen days over 550 men, with officers had been horsed and fully equipped ready to go to South Africa as a Sixth Contingent from New Zealand. He said it was a wonderful record for the colony

and a magnificent testimony to its resources. The contingent was well horsed and well equipped, and had gone through severe tests of their qualmcations for fulfilling the duties of soldiers. In conclusion, he again expressed the hope that success would attend the efforts of the contingent in assisting m the righteous defence of a portion of the British Empire in which many of their fellow-subjects had for years /suffered under iniquitous, unjust and abominable laws. „ The following cablegram sent from Melbourne by the Premier (Right Hon R. J. Seddon) was vea- by Mr ~ard: “ Wish the Sixth Contingent ever.', success. Feel assured that, like those of our sons who preceded them, they will do honour to our colony, earn for themselves praise and the best tha mp or c ar nation. They carry with them our heartfelt desires and prayers tor taeir safe return. Wish them God-speed. Mr Aitken said the sad circumstance which they were aware of had prevented his Excellency the Governor from attending to wish the contingent Godspeed, as he bad done m ih© ca.s©. cf the other contingents. The work which the Sixth Contingent had taken m hand was no more their work than it was the work of those they tv ere leaving behind. But the contingent had undertaken to go and do the work. The least, therefore, those who remained oohind could do was to let the contingent know that the fact was appreciated that they were going to do work in th© battlefield for the nation as a whole. New Zealand expected and would, he was sure, get from Mho Sixth Contingent as good service as had been rendered by the contingents who had gone before. In the name of the citizens of Wellington he wished the officers, noncommissioned officers and men who were about to embark God-speed, and great success, and he hoped that everyone of them would return in good health after having done the work of the Empn© which they were going away to do. After the speech-making the relatives and friends of the men were admitted to the wharf, in order that mutual good, byes might be said. In about half-an-hour’s time the men were formed m ranks again, and they then ivent aboard the Cornwall, whose gangway and bridge were draped with black a nd white out of respect to the memory of the Queen. As soon as the men had embarked they took up positions on top of the horse-boxes, on spars and m th® rigging, and exchanged cheers and good\)Yos with the crowd, on the wharf. The Cornwall was clear of her berth shortly after 6 o*clock. As she backed out and then steamed past, the contingent cheered lustily in response to the farewells which were waved* to them. A rainbow appeared over the western hills as the troopship made her way down the harbour. May it prove to have been a true “bow of promise!”

HOW THE SIXTH WILL BE FED. It is safe to say that no previous ®ontingent which has left the colony will fare an well as the Sixth- Not only will the tables be liberally supplied with fresh meat, including even lamb and veal, hut poultry will figure on the bill of far® twice a week. Fresh and tinned fish, eggs, jams, pickles, sauces and other table delicacies will also find a place on the mess tables of the troopers. Th® order-book of the ship’s steward shews an estimated weekly consumption, of 300 dudks and 300 fowls (a bird per man), 6001 b of pork, 6001 b of veal, 6001 b of sausages, 6001 b of fresh fish, 600 eggs, 9001 b of butter (l£lb per man), 3001 b of cheese, etc. The stores taken from Wellington include 4000 head of poultry, 100 tons of assorted fresh meat (beef, mutton, pork, lamb and veal), 40001 b of fresh fish, 40001 b of sausages and 50001 b of fresh butter. Following are copies of three menu cards, which ar® typical of the troopers’ fare: —Break-fast-Grilled chops, curry "and rice, potatoes, tea coffee, jams and marmalade. —Dinner —Soup, roast beef, niutton, potatoes, rice and apples. TearStewed beef, cold meats, jam or marmalade, tea. Breakfast—Grilled bacon, Silled steak, potatoes, tea, coffee, jam. inner—Soup, roast _ duck, potatoes, turnips, plum pudding. Tea —Cold meat#, tinned, fish, jam or marmalade, pickles, tea. Sunday.—Breakfast—Porridge, grilled ham, boiled eggs, potat-oaa, tea, coffee. Dinner—Soup, roapt fowls, potatoes, cabbage, plum pudding. Tea —Hashed mutton, cold jmeat, tinned fish, jam lor marmalade. A. special point made by the ship’s proridoring department is. in having fresh bread daily for

the troops. A glance over the above menu will give an idea of how well th© men of the Sixth will fare. Compared to the rations they may have to content themselves with on the veldA it is sumptuous living indeed.