OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND CONTINGENT FUND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2401, 8 March 1900, Page 28

OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND CONTINGENT FUND.

DAILY TIMES LIST. . Coiitiibutions thrown on stage, Town Hall, Clyde, during the singing of "The- absent-minded beggar" by Mr Montgomery, of Montgomery's Krn(=mat<sgraph Company . . . . & 0

Contiib tions thrown on sta~e, riolrn's Hall, St. Eathans, during the singing of '" The Absent minded Beggar " by Mr Montgomery (of -. Montgomery's Kineniatograph Company).. 1 2 10 Britisher " . . .. 11 0

.'• THE FIFTH COJJTJKGEST. *J ' - - AUCKLAND, February 28. as the fourth - contingent leave the

Government will charter another steamer to carry to South Africa 500 of the reserves now being formed at the centres. It has been definitely decided to send this reserve. March 4-. The Premier states that the Government are now making arrangements for the charter of a steamer f to take the fifth contingent of New Zealand troops to South Africa, but the matter has not yet been quite completed. It is expected a steamer from Australia will arrive in New Zealand waters a week or ten days after the fourth contingent leaves Port Chalmers. WELLINGTON, March 5. For the fifth contingent the applications already exceed the number required. Whether the camp for the whole 500 will be arranged in Wellington is not yet decided, and will not ,be so until the Premier returns. In the event of the concentration being split, the No-.tfi Island camp will be at Wellington and the South Island at Christchurch. The department desires that all applicants for this contingent shall apply to the local commandants. It is that Lieutenant-colonel Sommerville, of Wanganui, will have charge of the fifth contingent camp, if Wellington is selected. ■> CHRISTCHURCH, March 4-.

The men. for the reserve contingent will be picked to-morrow, and will go into camp for training at the show grounds.

SPECIAL THANKSGIVING SERVICES.

Special thanksgiving services were held on Sunday at S . Paul's Cathedral. At the early celebration the Rev. H. Brooke was celebrant, assisted by the Rev. E. Ward, and special acts of thanksgiving were made, as also at the choral celebration, when Archdeacon Robinson officiated.

Thanksgiving; services were held at All Saints' Church on Sunday morning in connection with . the victories of our arms in the Transvaal, and there was also a choral celebration of the holy communion. In the evening the church, was largely attended, the Te Deum being sung for victory in accordance with the usages of the church.

At St. Matthew's Church on Sunday night a . special thanksgiving service was held. The contingent hymns written by Mr W. CurzonSiggers were used in the course of the service, and one of them (" God of Hosts and Naj tions") was sung as a litany. The tune was a French air out of the " Crown of Jesus " . music. The recessional hymn was the Na- | tioaal Anthem.

A special memoriarn service was held in the First Church on -Sunday morning-, when the Rev. James Gibb preached on " Tlie Heroes that have Died." In. the evening thanksgiving services for the victories of our arms were held. The Bey. James Gibb again preached. Our report is held over.

At the forenoon, services in St. Andrew's Church Her. Dr Waddell made special and appropriate reference in one of the prayers to the recent successes achieved by the British troops in the Transvaal. These great successes afforded reason for thanksgiving, inasmuch as they all made for peace, the prospect of which was brought nearer as each successive victory was won bj" the British arms, whose cause ive believed to be a righteous one.

Special services were held in the Caversham Presbyterian Church on Sunday morning £>nd evening to commemorate the recent British successes in South Africa. Tlie Rev. D. Dutton iDreached on both occasions.

A special service was held in Trinity Wealeyan Clvureh in thanksgiving for the successes of our army, and more especially the relief of Ladysmith. A. large choir sang the following anthems: — "Gloria" (Twelfth Mass), "Crossing the bar" (Woodward), "And the glory" ("Messiah,"), and the ''Hallelujah chorus."

At King- street Congregational Church the relief of Ladysmith- was commemorated by the singing of the National Anthem at both morning and evening services.