A RESERVE CORPS FOR SOUTH AFRICA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2400, 1 March 1900, Page 28

A RESERVE CORPS FOR SOUTH AFRICA.

A RESERVE FORCE PREPARING. COLLECTING MEN FOR TRAINING.' AUCKLAND", February 22. Colonel Banks received instructions to collect men for training as a reseive for ser- . vice in South Africa on the same lines as . the contingents already formed. The men must be first-class riders, good shots, and unmarried. The pay will be 2s per day until the date of embarkation, when the full scale of pay will be given. Officers commanding corps are requested to send in lists of mon as soon as possible. 100 REQUIRED FROM OTAGO. Oolonel Webb has received instructions from the Defence department to collect from the Oiago district 103 men for training as a reserve for South Africa. The conditions of enrolment are as follow: — Age, 21 to 40 years; height, not less lhan sft oih; chest measurement, prop'or donate; weight, not more than 12.7 ; good riders and shots ; unmarried. The instructions go on to say that everything will be found, that preference will be given, to men from mounted corps, and that the rate of pay will be 2s per day till the date of embarkation, when ihe full scale of pny will he given. The men are to assemble at Dunedin, and io be sent to Wellington for training. Colonel Webb has coh.pulted with the Chairman of the Fourth Contingent Organising Committee in regard to this* matter, so that there will be no friction, and ihe Colonel is arranging to take tho mon who have been left out of the B and C lists. First, however, he has to make arrangements for their accommodation. He will require, for instance, information from, the department as to the supply of rations and =o forth. In the meantime Colonel Webb has arranged with the proprietors of Tohuna Park, and as roon as he can get the informa-. tion above referred to he will communicate with the man on the B and O lists, and those takou will be, moved into Tahuna.Park prior to gome; to Wellington. This reserve contingent will have openings for four farriers, two. saddlers, and two buglers. A Wellington telegram says: — ''Regarding Colonel Penton'? proposed reserve camp of 500 raen for Wellington, the general opinion is that this is in view of possible European complications." It is understood that ine' ructions .have been received to form, at an early, date, a second camp at Tahuna Park for the Otago section of the reserve corps. It is highly probable that a number of the men who must necessarily be put out of the Otacjo Contingent will go straight from Forbury Park to the new camp. There are a lot of good men who cannot go with the contingent, and these may very easily form a nucleus of the reserve corps. THE AGENT-GENERAL'S MESSAGE. WELLINGTON, February 22. The Agent-genex'al cables: — • "It is reported that the New Zealand contingent took an active part in a severe engagement with Cronje's rear-guard. " The practical result from the operations of last week is that the Boers cleared out^of the neighbourhood of Kimberley and also from the southern side of the Tugela, our loss in both operations not exceeding 250. On the other hand, -the enemy's loss was trifling. We captured large quantities of ammunition and other stores. " Cronje seems to have narrowly escaped, but earned off all his guns. He also cap-* turcd a valuable British convoy on the Riefc River. " The Boers gained a victory last week. Our loss was 200. They also gained a victory over Lieutenant-colonel Plumer'a Rhodesian force at the Crocodile River. '' "There are^great hopes that the siege of Ladysmith will soon be given up. " General French took with him to Kimberley the New Zealand contingent and 60 of the New South Wales Lancers, and the Queensland Mounted Infantry. All did well during -the march." , WELLINGTON, February 24. The Agent-general wires, under .date 23rd: — "Cronje fought well on Sunday, defeating all attacksj. Meanwhile General

French gob to the east of him. He is expected to surrender, as tlie British troops are five to one." LIEUTENANT NEAVE KILLED. OHRISTOHURCH, February 22. The following cable has been received byMr E. D. S. Neave from the War Office, London : — " Regret to inform you that your son, Second Lieutenant A. C. Neave, Ist Yorkshire, is reported by telegram from Paardeberg as killed in action." Neave is 22 years of age, his family reside in Upper Riccarton ; he was educated in Canterbury College, and was elected lieutenant of the Canterbury Mounted Rifles in 1896. He decided to take up the army as a profession, and passed his examinations successfully. As the result of the last examination was not known when the first N<4w Zealand contingent was formed, he Avas appointed to a commission in No. 2 company, from which a few weeks back he was transferred to the Yorkshire Regiment. He 'was a dashing horseman, and much respected by his comrades. ! DEATH OE TROOPER PATERSON. AUCKLAND, February 21. ' A private .cablegram from Capetown has been received "jn New Zealand announcing the. death from fever of Trooper J. Paterson, of Inglewood, Taranaki. ' . February 22. - The Governor received a cable from Sir A. Milner at" Capetown, saying that Trooper James Paterson, of the. New Zealand Mounted Rifles, had died of enteric fever on the 19th February at Rondebosch Hospital. NEW PLYMOUTH, February 22. In -reference to the death of Trooper Paterson, of the New Zealand Contingent, a trooper named Jas. M'lntosh Paterson, of Egmont road, near New Plymouth, was a member of the first contingent. There is too much reason to fear it is the same Paterson. He is a married man, and was formerly in a Highland Regiment. THE SECOND CONTINGENT. ARRIVAL OF THE WAIWERA. WELLINGTON, February 22. The Waiwera arrived at Durban with the second contingent on February 18. Major Cradock cables : — " All well. Only lost four horses. Waiting orders." VICTORIA'S REPLY MESSAGE. AUCKLAND, February 22. His Excellency the Governor has received the following cablegram from Sir Jno. Madden, Lieutenant-Governor of Victoria: — "Our warmest thanks for kind sympathy of New Zealand and yourself at our losses. Our congratulations to you on continued triumphs of your troops." ' RELATIVES AT THE FRONT. AUCKLAND, February 23. Major-general Knos, reported as wounded in Lord Roberta's despatch, is a cousin of Ms Excellency the Governor. Colonel Knox, commandant at Ladysmith, is also a cousin of Lord Ranfurly. PUBLIC FEELING IN ENGLAND. £>R PENNEFATHER INTERVIEWED. (Fkom Our Own Cokbespondent.) ; WELLINGTON, February 22. Chatting" with Dr Pennefather, who has just deturned from England, he said : " The war is brought home very much more to the English people than you here can realise. It effects everybody there ito a greater or less extent. Those who "have not relatives at the Iront are generally affected by the call made upon the militia for garrison work. A large number of young civilians have left their-voca-tions and are doing garrison duty in various parts of the United Kingdom. In Ireland end Scotland, as well as England, there has been a universal upsetting of everything. The war stopped all social entertainments at Christmas time. It was a perfectly quiet Christmas, with the exception of children's parties and entertainments to the wives and 'children of the soldiers at the front. Dinners .and balls were all given up. Yet the people, as a whole, are as enthusiastic as possibly can •be." Manchester was found by Dr Pennefather to be wild with enthusiasm. On his l^ay out he stopped two days at Ceylon. At jfchat time a Ceylon regiment of volunteers was •gust about to depart for the front, and all the mlanters from inland had come down to 'tender them a fitting send off. The ordinary soldiers have already gone from Ceylon, and 'their places have been taken by native troops sfrom India. Asked if the English people realised the sacrifices the colonies were makiQflt in forwarding troops to the war, Dr Pen-

nefather replied in the affirmative. In not only the leading newspapers, but in the provincial press, frequent allusions were made to the patriotism, loyalty, and generosity of the Anglo-Saxons under the Southern Cross. At a Lord Mayor's banquet at Manchester the most flattering references were made to the part the colonies had taken in promoting the higher Imperialism. The spontaneity of the response to the Empire's call by Great Britain's dependencies had been keenly realised, Dr Pennefather said, not only at Home, but on the Continent.

Trooper W. Johnston, who is with the first contingent, and who saved the life of Corporal M/ivegg, hails from Green Hills, Kaihiku, Obago.