THE SEVENTH CONTINGENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2456, 10 April 1901, Page 25

THE SEVENTH CONTINGENT.

DEPARTURE FROM WELLINGTON.

WELLINGTON, April 5.

It was definitely decided that the seventh contingent embark on Saturday afternoon. The men leave camp at 2.30 p.m., march to Jervois quay, where they will be addressed by the Governor, Premier, and Mayor. The total number of officers and men is 494.

The contingent is under the command of Lieutenant-colonel Porter, with the following staff : — Adjutant, Captain G. R. Johnston; quartermaster-captain H. D. Coutts, Staff -lieutenant H. H. Brown, Surgeon-cap-tains Dawson and Gabites, Staff Regimental-sergeant-major F. G. Price, Qunrtermaster-sergeant-majors .A. G. Smith (right wing) and Butler (left wing), Farrier-sergeant-major D. Fraser, Orderly-room Sergeant E. H. Taylor, Orderly-room Corporal F. W. Crespin, Bugler-sergeant C. Woods, Dispeneer W. Jeffery. The troopship Gulf of Taranto arrived from Sydney on Thursday morning, and went into quarantine. She was berthed last night. She appears to be a fine roomy vessel, well suited for tiansport purposes. The men of the contingent are all ready to strike camp to-morrow. The following is a complete list of those comprising the Otago company of the seventh contingent: — Captain, P. O. Rutherford; lieutenants, D. Stewart, G. H. Gane, R. W. Wilkinson, and S. C. Catilton; colour-sergeant, A. Richards; divisionalBergeante, ~W. Dobson, D. Wilson, and P. T. Munro; sergeants, A. R. Leckie, R. N. Todd, and J. Conn; corporak, J. Ashton, J. C. Gilmour, R. H. Carr, A. Grant, W. Fairclough, and A. Bagley; bugler, P. D. Tennant; farrier, \Y. M. Clark; troopers, A. Anderson, A. Arlidgp, J. W. Ashmore, S. Brown, D. B. Brown, C. Bare, F. W. Booth, J. Buchanan, \V. P. G. Carmiehael, H. Oorkin, A. J. Campbell, E. W. E. Carter, J. D. Cunningham, J. Cole, J. Cairney, F. 0. Chittock, J. R. Doig, T. H. Drennan, J. D. Dry, W. Dunlop, G. A. Dandy, J. Denniston, F. C. Evans, E. Evans, P. Fletcher, D. Forbes, A. Firth, D. Ferguson, J. Fairley, T. Gilligan, J. Grant, P. George, C. A. Gunri, P. Hadfield, H. Harraway, A. Hoare, W. G. Hay, H. Harvey, H. Ibbotson, J t Jenkins, J. Kirkwood, T. Leslie, S. W. Lochhead, R. Lawrence, A. R. Ledingham, T. Moekford, A. R. Murray, A. F. Martin, G. S. Moffitt, J. C. Mills, G. Maskow, J. N. Marsh, J. A. Mcc, A. S. Morton, D. Macauley, L. D. M'lvor, J. Al'Lennan, T. M'Lew. J. M'Gregor, J. T. M'Kelvie, J. M'Kay, J. M'Cracken, J. M'Gregor, A. M'Lean, D. S. C. M'Gregor, H. Popham, A. Pippard, E. M. Quelch, H. J. Quarterman, T. F. Short, A. S^ott, W. S. Smith, J. Stewart, J. C. Skene, J. Smith, J. H. Temfcleton, R. Taylor, G. Vial, W. Whyte, R. L. Whyte, G. F. Welch, W. m-ight, J. H. Wright. In addition to the Wellington, Auckland, Canterbury, Otago, and Kelson companies of the seventh contingent, . there is a supplementary company, consisting of Lieutenant AY. G. 'Forsythe, Sergeant W. M'Millan, Corporals 0. Weaver and J. W." Smith, Troqpers D._ Anderson^ C. W. Armstrong, L. Armstrong, G~. E. Brooking, J. M. Buller, J. Barber, J. W. Brown, C. E. *oult, R. Berryman, M. Cleary, J. A. Capper, E. Cornford, W. Campbell, A. H. Devine, L. Delauney, T. Flint, J. Feetham, G. T. Fookes, M. E. Fitzgerald, H. Finch, J. S. Gardiner, A. Gregory, L. Gestre, W. E. Headifen, A. S. Houston, J. T. Jones, C. S. James, E. H. Johnston, L. Klee, V. Klee, M. Lyons, S. D. Mann, C. E. M'Evoy, W. C. M'Donald, P. Nation, J. Nash, J. E. O'Reilly, G. H. Pepper. G. H. T. Radford, J. Ryan, J. Robinson, D. H. Retter, L. G. Retter, J. C. Smith, J. Sutherland, A. E. Sands, G. Styles, A. P. Speedy, H. Tatton, E. Wylds, W. E. Wilson, H. E. Whitcombe, R. R. Young

April 6.

The fifth troopship to leave Wellington received her complement of men this afternoon, members of the seventh contingent embarking aboard the Gulf of Taranto. Camp was struck after lunch at Newtown Park, and after the men had been briefly addressed by the Commandant of the Forces the march to the city commenced. On the occasion of previous contingents leaving, the day has always been observed as a public holiday, but there was no such observance this time. The embarkation was also somewhat robbed of interest as a spectacle by the fact that the volunteer battalion was absent from the city attending field manoeuvres, and therefore unable to take part in the proceedings. However, a considerable number of people gathered along the lino of march and gave the men a farewell cheer, and two or three thousand gathered at Jervois quay, alongside which the transport was berthed. When the contingent arrived at the quay the men were drawn up opposite the band rotunda and addressed by the Mayor, Governor, and Premier.

His Excellency expressed the gratification he felt at again witnessing such a material proof of the colony's loyalty, and wUht'l the men a sate return.

The Right Hon. Mr Sedclou in the oor.r. o gi his remarks gaid the occasion was hardly

likely to arise for sending another contift> gent away, but if it should nappen that more men were required, more would be despatched to the seat of war. He did not? believe for one moment that too many had) gone. He impressed upon the men to remember that there was work for them to do, and not to think they were not likely to be required.

The men then marched aboard the transport, which cast off from the wharf amidsfc hearty cheers and steamed right out to sea. Surgeon-major Burns, who went to the Transvaal with the First Contingent, has been promoted to the rank of lieutenantcolonel, and proceeded to Capetown with the seventh contingent as chief medical officer. At Capetown, he will be attached to the base hospital as New Zealand's medical officer, and will have charge of all mat' ters concerning the colony's patients there-

(From Ouh Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, April 6. The seventh contingent embarked to-day. Nearly all the volunteers and a great many townsfolk were out of town,, so the send-off was not- wonderfully enthusiastic. Still, as the men. inarched on board, and again aa the troopship cast off, there was some cheering from several thousand people who had assembled. There are all but 600 men in thi3 contingent, which it is expected will be the Inst •to • leave our shores for South Africa. The first contingent left on October 21, 1899, and Colonel Robin, the last man belonging to it left at the front, is now on his way back to the colony. It is expected that he will be made commander of the New Zealand forces when Colonel Pcnton leaves. The D Battery and the Naval Brigade were kept in town to take part in to-day's send-off. They were refused permission to take part in an Easter encampment, and this action on the part of the Defence authorities so annoyed the men that practically they went on strike to-day. The D Battery only mustered 10 strong, and tho Navals had a muster of nine, five of whom were officers. There is much _ dissatisfaction amongst local volunteers with the management of Defence matters. There was the usual speech-making at the send-off this afternoon. The Governor, who made his first public appearance in Wellington since the death of the Queen, addressing the troops, eaid: "It has been my very great pleasure during the past 18 months to wit r ness and take part in the ' send-off ' of many contingents to assist the mother country in South Africa. As the representative of his Majesty, it give 3me great pleasure to-day to witness once more the enthusiastic loyalty of the people of New Zealand, and to wish a hearty farewell to New Zealand's sons who are now on the point of departure for the seat of disturbance. You have no pleasant or easy task before you. Previous contingents -leaving our shores went to do battle with foes invading our territory, and had to deal with real warfare. This has now degenerated into guerilla warfare. No matter, though, what your duties may be, be they arduous or dangerous, we send you forth confident that you will uphold with, honour the name already gained by those who have preceded you ; that you will be tirsless in your endeavours to carry out your duties efficiently, obedient, cheerful, and respectful to the officers who may be over you ; patient in your endurance of the hard-^ ship necessary to campaigning in a country; partially held by an enemy, and trying each to assist his comrades-in-arms at every opportunity. It ii my earnest hope that I may be able to welcome you on safe return, having won for yourselves honour, and leaving behind you a united South Africa onoe more — a land o£ peace with prosperity returning, and with his Majesty's laws being justly, and impartially administered to all alike. Officers, non-commissioned officers, and men of the seventh contingent, I wish you God-* speed and a> safe return." The Premier, in addressing the contingent, said there were indications that the present guerilla warfare would soon be afc an end, and so he believed there would be no necessity for sending another contingent. Yet if the necessity arose, New Zealand would send one. Though the war was nearly at an end, however, t"he present contingent must not pfo away thinking that they would have nothing to do.' Their services would be required for some time afterwards, even if the war were to come to an end now. He held that New Zealand had not sent a single man too many.

A Timaru telegram states that a meeting of citizens, the mayor presiding, gave a hearty send-off to Dr Gabites on leaving to join the seventh contingent as medical officer.