INVALIDED NEW ZEALANDERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2413, 31 May 1900, Page 45

INVALIDED NEW ZEALANDERS.

Mr Seelye has received a wire from tha Actino-Premier, the lion. J. G. Ward, to the effect ""thai his son, Trooper Seelye, of the first contingent, is amongst the men who were invalided home, and who arrived the other day in Melbourne. In the last letter received from Trooper Seelye he mentioned that he had beeii laid low with dysentery and had! been placed in the hospital. Subsequently he was taken to Capetown, but lie expressed a FU'ong hope that he would have recovered in time to participate in " the march past at Pretoria." Unfortunately, as is seen, his hopes were not destined lo be realised, and the military authorities deemed it necessary . that he should be invalided home along with other New Zealanders. So far as is known, ?.li the men are on the fair way to recovery* Trooper Seelye cabled to his parents that ha would likely reach Dunedin by the first or succeeding boat. Sergeant-dispenser Macpherson, writing from Wynberg Hospital (eight miles from Capetown) on the 6th April, says : — "You will have -heard that I "got laid up -with enterio fever just at a time when- the game was^ getting interesting. I was laid up, first of all,after the battle at Reit River, and had to go into hospital there. It was simply a rest camp. There was nothing in the way o£ medicines, although about 200 men were lying there — some with enteric and a great many 1 ' suffering from sunstroke. I remained for one clay and got away under cover of darkness, and by hard riding overtook my troop next day at 11 o'clock. I rode for two days in one* of the New South Wales ambulance waggons until v.-p attacked Kimborloy. I got my,horsa and saw most of the splendid attack, but after riding for about four tours I was forced to give in. Dr Burns refused to allow me to go any further. . . Some of the fellows in,/ this hospital who have a beautiful crop of holes riddled through their bodies do nob appear to recognise their importance. . . . We had captured a convoy of about 200 waggons from the enemy just before the attack on Kimberley, and some of thes.e were used to convey the sick and wounded to the hospital at Modder River. We lay under the bullock wagons during Ihs day, and travelled by, night. The country is covered with ant-heaps, and it appeared to me the black boys pickedi out the largest heaps lo run the waggo:i over. . . . Our wards, or marquees, hold six beds each, and are very comfortable, and when I say there is accommodation for over 14-0Q patients you will judge that it is an extensive affair. ... I- notice that poultry, beef, mutton, a%d butter aie stamped with eitheir 1 Victorian, or Queensland brands. In. fact, Queensland has supplied a great amount of the 1 "meal used by the srmy out here. What has New Zealand been doing in this respect? This should have been a good chance of getting its products on the South African mai-Vet*. We are oil dressed alike, in a loopb indigo blue uniform, raid we ore not allowed outside the hospital grounds. These two facts makia one think of the very early settlers in Botany Bay. Hospital ships leave Table Bay tor England tv.ice a week, taking men home. . . . Two New Zealand boys are going to Enciand next week, and it may be soma -•nriths before they are fit to return to New Zealand. They both come from the North 1-tSiiid. We receive great kindness from various pocietieb — the Red Cross, the Absentminded Beggar, and the Salvation Army being particularly attentive to us, besides a lot of private people. I will be fit to leave hospital in about a week."