NOTES FROM WELLINGTON. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2397, 8 February 1900, Page 29

NOTES FROM WELLINGTON. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, February 5. The Wellington men are not to be included in the third contingent, but will wait for the fourth. The Government have decided that a colonial officer must command the Rough Riders. It is understood that the choice rssts between Lieutenant-colonel Sommerville and Major Jov-'sey. Besides the 102 men to be sent from Christchurch, the third contingent will consist of 7o from Wanganui and Taranaki, 40 from Napier, 10 from Gisborne, 10 frbm Westland, and six from Westport. The Wanganui men will leave on Saturday morning, and will be shipped immediately on arrival at Wellington. They are to receive a monster sendoff at Wanganui. The Governor has sent a cable Home asking for a troopship. A reply is expected to-mor-row. The total number of offers received from various parts of the colony by the Government to provide Rough Riders is 420. These are expected to be increased before the fourth contingent goes. Nurses l£acandrew and Johnston have volunteered for service if a nursing staff be required. A number of those who have passed the St. John Ambulance Association's examination for nurses are desirous of proceeding to South Africa as nurses. Mr H. Walton has forwarded to tis from Mataura a card with the words of the first contingent's war cry. copies of which were sold freely at the patriotic concert held there. Seeing that the idea was such a success in Mataura, he commends it to the various centres throughout Otago as worthy of adoption by them.