NEW ZEALAND AND THE WAR

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 3957, 24 January 1900, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND AND THE WAR

THE THIRD CONTINGENT. WHAT IS BEING DONE IN WELLINGTON. A number of citizens wailed upon the Mayor of Wellington yesterday and discussed with him a proposal to send a third New Zealand contingent to South Africa. His Worship agreed to call a public meeting of the citizens, at which the matter may he fully ventilated. Captain Morison, of the ZenUuulin Rifles, will assist the Mayor in making arrangements for the meeting, which will he held at the Exchange Hall on Monday next. The proposal is that the . Wellington provincial district should equip twentylive men for the contingent. Several suitable men have already offered their services. The cost of landing each man in South Africa fully equipped, is estimated at about £IOO. CHRISTCHURCH OR WELLINGTON f NEW ZEALANDERS. NOT MAORILANDKRS.

i.i’eitai, to the “Ti.'.n-.5." CHRIS’I CHURCH. Tuesday

Commenting on the leading article in Tuesday's “Now Zealand Times,” the “Press’' says: —lt is a. very graceful suggestion which lias come from Wellington that, as an acknowledgment’ of tho efforts made by Canterbury to get up a third contingent. the camp' should be established in Christchurch and the send-off should take place at Lyttelton. It is a compliment which would be immensely appreciated by tho qicople of this district, and we hope the Government will sec their way to carry it into effect. If anything would tend to still further increase the- enthusiasm felt here oil behalf of the movement, this, would' surely do ’ so. Only we suggest that, hi order to enable thei"largest possible number f.f people to witness the proceedings, the formal leave-taking should bo held in Christchurch, say in Hagley Park, where there is accommodation for ; all. A large number no doubt would still go down to the port in order to see the last of our brave fellows before they leave New Zealand's shores. Ore other view we beg to urge, with all tlie emphasis at our command. It is, that tho third Contingent should bo called “The New Zealand Scouts.” instead of ‘■Tli© Maoriland Rough-riders,” as has been suggested in Wellington. “Maoriland” is a coinage of tho Sydney “Bulletin,'’ which is absolutely unknown in England, and if it is adopted the result will he that nine-tenths of the British public will imagine that this is a. new corps of cowboys or persons of that description raised in some part of the earth of which they have never heard before. “New Zealand Scouts” is good enough for its. Our first contingent has already distinguished itself in the field as New Zealanders. The second, we hope, will shortly do the same. Then let the third contingent go as New Zealanders also, not under an alias, as if we were ashamed of the name. PRESS . ASSOCIATION. CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday. The Mayor has sent the following telegram, to the Premier in regard to the name of. tho third New Zealand contingent foj- South Africa : —“I would urge the retention of the name New Zealand, as it is very desirable to retain a connecting link with tho former contingents. New Zealand Scouts or New Zealand Rough-riders would meet the universal wishes here.” Up to date over three hundred applications have been received for enrolment in the Canterbury troop. The bulk of the applicants represent really first-class horsemen, who will bo most suitable for a rough-riding contingent. SUGGESTED MEANS OF TRANSPORT. NELSON, Tuesday. The “Evening Mail,” in au article on tho third contingent scheme, suggests that, as tho Imperial Government has offered the use of a troopship to convey tiie bushmeu from Australia, much of the cost of transit of tho third New Zealand contingent would be saved if application were made that our troops he allowed to join tho troopship at Melbourne or Sydney. THE CASE OF BUGLER CHEGWIN. Bugler Chegwin, who at the last mo incnt revered his connection with the

-c.-und fctitihgelil for South Africa, now in Wellington. • bent upon setting Ms reputation right ih the t yea or the pUoIK I . ailn tiie defence authorities. Chegwin had left for hrtiuc, bur oh reaching Christchurch on Sunday nigh: In; found xncli distorted accounts oi hiaction in circulation that lie came back here by first steamer to clear up matters and frt'e lilm.sf.lt front any stigma. Ut states that when he joined the tontiugont Major Crodock promised that be should n c-rivc tho position of principal trumpeter to tho troop and have full charge of the oilier, trumpeters. Vci.v i.ooa. hov. ever, Chegwin lound that this: promise was not being kept, hut ho was exported to do double duty -i,staff bugler and orderly bugler, witn all the responsibility and no rank or an thority. On those grounds ho refused to sign for sendee, whereupon Colonel Soinuie;villa told nim lie had the alternative of signing or 'resigning. He appealed to Major Cradock, and reminded that o(lifer of Ms promise; hut, as ho could got no satisfaction from him he resolved to resign. It had been reported in Christcliui'di that ho had refused service .because he wanted a sergeant's stripes, with the. position ot chief trumpeter, and to be over Bugler Fox. and it was stated that ho had immediately left camp. Those statrniruis v, ere incorrect, as he merely objected t > sign the papers until he got proper authority, or was relic-, ed of the double duties imposed upon him, and he did not leave the camp till J 1.30 on Saturday morning. thegwn. in tends to -place himself in cmnmimic,:tioii witn the Defence Department with a view to removing misconceptions and offering Ms .services as clue!" trumpeter to the Rough-Riding Contingent now being termed.

NURSES FOR SOUTH AFRICA. MM, L. Fitzsimmons writes: —Now that Christchurch lias taken the load, is it tot time for. Wellington to scud a baud o' capable muses to help nurse the sick and wounded in Africa V jam sure the ladies of Wei ling', on arc quite capable of starting a fund for the occasion. as is shown by their past efforts, and volunteers would not bo wanting. I. myself, an experienced nurse, would gladly, com© forward for one and pay the cost of my outfit to help the movement, and there are many ethers willing to do tho same. THE VETERANS, “Pax if. Bello” writes; —Old colonists, who have homo the burthen and heat of the day of early .settlement, wen-, gratified beyond _ measure to lind_ (he above corps wore in such a distinguished position in the inarch on Saturday last, in contradistinction to tho treatment that they received at the first send-off of the-contingent. But white of those poor old chaps, tiie halt, lame and wounded veterans, who were incapacitated from falling in with- their, comrades? . Should not they be provided with an equipage to swell the ranks of tho patriotic cortege »l-_ the hind send-off of troops, to cheer their hearts when going down tho gloomy vale ol HfeP ' LOYALTY, OF THE CHILDREN. . "Jacobus” writes : There were two . . small incidents- connected with . the .send-off of. No. 2 contingent which I think arc worthy of record. They- both occurred, in. Cuba street on Saturday morning, when (h “boys in khaki” wore much in evident:in that locality. In Hie first ease, a little mile of a girl, bolding out a nag of lollies to one of our .'hoys. said. f‘,Please take some lollies’.’ p,.aml. as Inonly took one or two, she; said. “Take more; ,\on’se goin’ away to fight.” Tbsecond; .a lor-y laden withibananas was being driven up tho street, the fruit, as is usually the ease, being mostly green but, on th.c top, near the -roar of, the lorry, was ;. lovely bunch, of nice-ripe, ■fruit. ; S.-me four dr five youngster.* clambered on to the, back of the lorry snatched off handfuls of tho ripe fruit and'gave thorn to' some of the members of the contingent':’ who woi-e"stand;ng liy ; /tlfny .kept-nemo themselves. Of churse fkc-morality of their action , was questionable; but surely in' both incF clopts there was “the touch of nature that makes the whole world kin.”

In a telegram despatched to Kaitangata, where, a patriotic meeting was being held, the Premier made the foiloiving references to the despatch of more men to South Africa:—At the present juncture, and what I consider of paramount importance, is the sending of more mounted fighting men, as, owing to the slowness cf the movements of the infantry, they have great difficulty in coping with the mounted Boers, who can flit from place to place with great rapidity. Had the British forces been like our Now Zealand contingent, ns well mounted and armed, the Transvaal difficulty would have been solved ere now. •Between 120. and 130 railway men on the Hunmui-Bluff section have volunteered for railway service in South Africa.