THE OTAGO SECTION TO GO ON THE 24th.

Otago Witness, Issue 2403, 22 March 1900, Page 49

THE OTAGO SECTION TO GO ON THE 24th.

FRIDAY.

No further riding or shooting tests have ■been got through, but Sergeant-major Taylor is keeping the men in Tahuna Park steadily at squad drill and manual exorcises. The men are very willing, and, as a whole, pick up the drill very readily. There were no new arrivals yesterday, and the number in camp remain at 97. The catering gives satisfaction, and the men arc in excellent spirits. Colonel Webb has been notified by Colonel Penton that if room can be found on the ships the £flh contingent men from Otago will sail on the same day as the fourth.

Mr, Falconer, is providing all stationery requirements for the fifth contingent now at Tahuna Park. The military authorities will give accommodation, and all letters from the camp will be franked, as has already been granted to the fourth contingent at Forbtn-y camp. It is somewhat remarkable thai the fifth con ti agent has been overlooked in many of the engagements made for the fourth. The men in camp at Tahuna Park have not been invited to the races, and generally they are missing the good things going. It iri sugge=lod that if Colonel Webb irtlimuled that delicacies would be received at the CaArrisoa glall, which jvould be &eiit out to the

camp, it would be appreciated. Many persons would like to send in small contributions who have not the time to visit the camp.

AUCKLAND, llarch 15

Great dissatisfaction exi?ts at tho fifth contingent Mounted Infantry camp at Potter's paddock in connection with the summary dismissal of about thirty members of the contingent by Lieutenant-colonel Banks, tho officer coimnandinsf the district. During the afternoon Cclouel Banks' had so:ne 33 out of 100 men m tho camp paraded, and he informed the-.e troopers that as tt-ey had failed to pafcs in the shooting te«l<3 they would have to leave the eump. Some of the men were also, he said, not good enough ridci'o. This news caused much angry comment amongst the volunteers, who had been uiider the impression that they, were accepied as members of the contingent. Owing to remarks made by some of the men, the whole of them were at once ordered to leave the camp.

SATURDAY,

At Tahur.a Park yesterday morning recruit and dismounted drill was carried on by Ser-geant-major Taylor and the Permanent Artillery instructors until the rain compelled the men to seek 'shelter. In the afternoon, as it was still too wet to go out. the men were assembled in one of the sheds and given in struction. in signalling. The bugler vva& %et to the task of sounding the different camp and parade calls, and thus an opportunity was given for becoming familiar with them.

The horses for the Otago section of the fiitii contingent will be taken to To him a Park today. It is iiiiderstood that the Slock department has purchased most of the horse?, going about the work of selecting them in a quiet bitt effective way, and hove secured nearly all they want at a satisfactory figure.

The whole of the uniforms, eqaiprnent, etc., for the fifth" are being sent down ready made from Wellington, and two men from the defence store are in charge.

The I'orbury Park Land Company write to Colonel Webb to say that if it would be any convenience to bring the fifth contingent into Forbury Park thai they have no objection to this being done. The officer commanding will, therefore, u-te his own discretion in the matter, but it is improbable that the men wiM be removed from Tahuna Park until the date of embarkation.