GENERAL JIU'ITON ON THE NEW ZtfALANDEKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2425, 5 September 1900, Page 44

GENERAL JIU'ITON ON THE NEW ZtfALANDEKS.

A LETTER TO THE PREMIER.

(Faon Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, August 28. The Premier has received the following letter from Major-general Hut ton, dated from Camel Drift .Bivouac, near Pretoria, June 9, 1900 : — " Dear 2vlr Secldon,— -It will, lam sure, be a great satisfaction to you to hear some short account of your fine troops, which I have the privilege to include in the brigade under my command. There are three distinct contingents which now comprise the first battalion of New Zealand Mounted Rifles — viz., that under Major Robin and that under Mpjor Davis. Major Robin, being the senior officer, commands the i-attalion, with Major Cradock as hib second in command. In every engagement in which ihey have taken part upon every -occasion when hard work or peculiarly dangerous service has fallen to their lot they have always acquitted themselves well. Since leaving Bloemfontein on the Ist May we have been continually matching and engaging the enemy. The day's work lias been always long, followed often by cold nights on outpost duty' or grard. The exposure constant, and the amount of cur rations, precuuous. All have been taken in good part, and i always feel con■iideiib of the result when the Now Zca^nders ars detailed or selected for aiTythicg specially difficult. Among an cn^ci^lly line lot of fighting men, such a,s ate to be found in the brigade irom. pll pans of the Empire, noue have a higher reputation for steadiness under iire, or for that dash and gallantry when the moment ariivcs, which aie so peculiarly the attributes of J-Jritif-h troops oi the highest, type. New Zealand is especially fortunate in the officers selected for, and serving with, the Mounted Rifle. There are several whom I do not wish individually to noise, who would take a very high place.among the best of tlie Mounted Infantry officers, who, as you are aware, are tlie picked officers of the army. An excellent feeling exists, I am glad to say, between all the various representative battalions from the different colonies, and I feel certain that the co-operation together in this cani paign of the representatives from Canada, from the six colonies of Australia, and from New Zealand will contribute more than everything else to wold the whole military element of the Empire into such a powerful national defence force as will some clay astonish the Queen's enemies. The campaign is drifting to a close, and if Pro\idence so wills it, the final stage of the campaign since the Ist of -May will be proved to be one of the most interesting pages of our military history. If the casualties have been few, the reason may be ascribed to jjie admirable strategy of Loid Roberts and to the able leaderships of General

iTreneh, under whoso supremo command the brigade has acted since the 10th May, rather than to the enemy being reluctant and unwilling to meet in the field on equal terms. The campaign has taught us all many lessons, and among others the lesson that all H.M. force?, wherever they exist, must have one individual system of training and organisation and of equipment. It has been clearly proved thai; wo do not require conscription to provide the Empire with the finest troops which any occaoion could demand, but we do require some system or suitable organisation which will enable the Empire as a whole to utilise the material which she possesses in such profusion. It would be folly tp suppose that the 200,000 men now in South Africa have the organisation, the training, or the equipment which would fit them to compete successfully with the armies of Europe. Will you allow me, in conclusion, to again convey my congratulations to the New Zealand Government and yourself upon being so well and in such ti distinguished manner represented by the New Zealand Mounted Rifles now serving under my command."