THE LATE WAR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12419, 31 July 1902, Page 5

THE LATE WAR.

KITCHENER'S FINAL DESPATCH. Press Association—By Telsgrnpli—Copyright. LONDON, .Inly "0. (lieceived July 81, at 0.40 a.m.) Viscount Kiichenpr's final despatch/ thanks Lord Miluer for, unfailing sympathy and assistance, expresses the' arfny's deep obligation to the Australian and other Colom'al Governments, eulogises the officer;, especially General French, lind recommends General Bundle and others, including a large number of colonials. |

Between 70 and 80 additional medals for plantation to t!ie returning, troopers were reteived at the Defence Officn last evening. Of these about 45 are for Dimediii. The total number of medals for distribution now received is about 120.

SOCIAL AT MAUNGATT7A. ' (Frou Our Own Cob&espoxbent.) A mo3t enjoyable evening' was' spout ' in Maungatua sehe&lroom on the 21st inst,, to welcome our bravo ex-schoolboy home from the 1 war. Mr R. A. Kempshfll presided, and said : lie was pleased to see so many piesent, as this was the first time they had met on nn occasion of the kind. It gave him great, pleasure to roll on Sergeant M'Lpjfn.—(Cheers) Address- ] mg Sergeant MXarcn, he said on behalf of j schoolmates and friends he had much pleasure jn welcoming him heme. Ho had been a \ credit to his seheol, his parenla, hi« country, i and hi 6 nation. Ho and his comrade bad j opened the eyes of tho foreign nations. They \ thought that they had only England, Ireland! • ■ m Scotland to contend against, but no;v thoV" find that there are other islands cut in, the ocean, such as Australia, Tasmania, New ftcaJftnd, not to mention Canada, peopled by hundieda of thousands of men who arc not frightened of Boer bullets or Russian shells, and who will fight, for their kin and country.— (Cheers.) He would like those present to try to follow Sergeant M'Laren through the battlefield. hirst, we find him in the troopahip, where (lie officorn made him corporal—(cheers)— next place we find him on the battle field, .there Corporal M'Lnrcn and some of his comrades were surprised L«y a lot of Boers, and in galloping back to inform his regiment, ho saw one of his mates get his horse shot from under i Vi "^ G SftUepftl back through shot'- and shell, and brought him safely out of the lino of fire.—(Cheers.) Then the officers made him sergeant, affixing the stripes that we are proud °f«—-(Cheers.) He wr.s one of those who caplured De Wet's (Cheers.) Then, again, at BothasJjerg, in KiteUencr'n great drive in the dead of night, he heard whips cracking and the bellowing of 28,000 head of cattle—a bigger mob than we are lined to sec—(laughter)—driven by natives and lloer.s, with 11H15 fighting Boer?, bearing down on the lino where the .Seventh Contingent was. "When they got near, though, our boy 9 mowed thpin <lown and drove thorn back.—(Cheers.) "Where do wo find Sergeant j M'Laren? Standing, with his four comrades ' shot by his side. The next place we find him ! is in his ok] school—(Cheers.) The .Chairman then said lie had come to the beat part of tho programme—that wns to present their guest with a smalt memento in Iho shape of a. gold albert, with greenstone pendant, with monogram inscribed. He hoped the recipient would be long spared to wear it.—(Cheers.) . Sergeant M/Laren, in responding, said he was very pleased to bo bark amongat them again, F,nd thanked them for their llinndsomo present.

cheers were then givoli for .'Sergeant Jl'Lareu. There were also present Trooper M'Laren and Trooper 'Welsh, and Lalicc-cor-poral Smith, of Alexandra. - Cheora were aleo iiiven for the fathers and mothers oi the

troopers. Speeches were delivered by Messrs \V. Thomson, li. A. Kcmp'hc!!, and T. Gordon, and sonijs by Mr Clark and the Mis3ca Hocuc'n, Dp.lo, Kempahcll, ar.d Messrs Hecnan, Blaik, Clark," Gordon, Connor, and Don, The ladies of the district provided the good things, to which ample justice was tlono. Mr Hecnan proposed a vote of thanks to the performers, and Mr Don to the_ (p.dics who provided the good things, 'l'ho National Anthem having been sung, the room was cleared for dancing, which w«s]£ept up until an early hour.