A MESSAGE RE NEW ZEALANDERS. WELLINGTON, January 27.

Otago Witness, Issue 1851, 29 January 1902, Page 26

A MESSAGE RE NEW ZEALANDERS. WELLINGTON, January 27.

The General commanding at Capetown cables the death, from enteric, at Heilbron, of Private H. Collins, and that Privates W. Hart, R. M'Leod, and A. Giraud are dan-gerou-ly ill at C'harlestown.

Mr E. S. Clarke, of Woodha-tigh, whose son was one of tho^e of the bixth contingent who were wounded, lias been informed by the Premier thot the following message tvas received fi om Major Pilcher yesterday: — "All tho='« who were wou«ided at Zwprtwater on the 3rd ijist. are m hospital at Charleston and are doing well." One of the sixth contingent, writing home to Auckland, says that the contingent has no hope of being released until the end of May. " Kitchener knows his business too well," he adds, '"to exchange seasoned troops that are stdl fre c h and keen foe new chums. If you =end more men he'll stick to t!'C lot And no blame in him. Wo ore being buitled afi over the country after Botha, but my opinion is that this gentleman left South Africa a year ago."

Mr W. J. Moore, headmaster of the Kensington School, last evening received the following telegram from the Premier: — '" J legrcfc exceedingly to have to inform you thnt the Governor has ju^t received a. cnblo from Capetown stating that your fon, No. 2635 Sergpant W. iloore, was dangerously ill with enteiic fever on the 18th inst. I trust we may <-oon get reassuring news of your boy's condition. Any further tidings will be conveyed to you at once " hi the eourao of a conversation with a jppreoentative of tho Lyttelton Time*, th" Ron. M.-ior Htewaid. who has iu&t letumcd from a to the Clntha:n Island", referred to the suitability of the lpaiu island, Waitangri, as a pluce of detention for some of the "Roer pn«oner-. An American who •■aw one of the colonial continorent= land at Capetown is quoted by an Englishman now in tho olmiv as having dc-crihed it tlms quaintly: — "They are a \ery fine body of mm — )ust the soit of men that are wanted in South Africa. I have an idea that John Bull would have been a trifle lonely without them.