THE NEW ZEALAND PRISONERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2407, 19 April 1900, Page 25

THE NEW ZEALAND PRISONERS.

It is understood that the Premier has taken the necessary steps to secure, through the American Consul at Pretoria, that swell comforts as may be required shall be provided for the New Zealanders who were captured by the Boers at Kroon Spruit.

Trooper T. A. Hempton, who?e death from dysentery was reported from Carnarvon on Tuesday, joined the sacond contingent from Taranaki. He was a brother of the wellknown athlete Jack Hempton, and had himself attained a conspicuous name in Taranaki athletics, having represented that province on the football field for about eight years.

Lieutenant Parker, of the Rampden Rifles, who went with the second New Zealand contingent, -writes from De Aar under date March 12, saying that he and four others have been attached to Kitchener's Light Horse.

Mr W. A. Shielels, representing the Executive of the subcommittee that had in hand ihe scheme for seneling nurses to South Africa, forwarded on Thurselay to each of the seven nurses a draft for £15 as salary up to the 24th July. The Bank of New Zealand have kindly undertaken to remit without charge.

Mr Jules Tapper, an ex-resident of Invercargill, writes from Buenos Ayres : — "Do not be thinking that we Britishers here, living in a foreign land, are less patriotic than ymi living in the cplonies. A rich estanciero called for volunteers for the Transvaal. He provided a passage free to Durban, and gave each one a horse with equipments. Considerably over 100 names were handed in, and after the usual medical inspection-he accepted the services of some 50 of them. He himself intends to go to the front with his men. Unfortunately for myself, when the selection was made I was in the hands of the Hospital Britanico, so my chance of being selected was ' cooked.' The widows and orphans' fund has been liberally subscribed to among the British community here, and several goodsized drafts have been sent Home for that purpose."