THE NORTH ISLAND SECTION. ENTERTAINED AT LUNCHEON WELLINGTON, April 12.

Otago Witness, Issue 2509, 16 April 1902, Page 53

THE NORTH ISLAND SECTION. ENTERTAINED AT LUNCHEON WELLINGTON, April 12.

Owing to the late arrival of the troopship Drayton Grange, the departure of the North Island section of the Tenth Contingent was postponed until Monday. The troopers were cntei tamed at luncheon to-day by the citizen-. The Mayor pi elided, and was supported by the Premier and Commandant. Several Mini-iter^, of the Crown and leading citizens were piesent. The Mayor proposed " The Health of the Tenth Contingent," referring to the men as being as good and equel to any of the pre\ie>us contingents which left this or any other colony. He expressed the opinion that the -ending .of more men would quicken the end of the war and prevent further bloodshed and hardship. Captain Turner, who ha* had charge of the camp, complimented the men on their good behaviour, stating that he had not en a *mgle occa-ion to repiove a ma::--a record whic'.i he thought 110 othei contingent bad had. He regretted he was not going with them. The comn<and had be<n offered to him. but unfortunately he was unable to aidil himself of it. The Premier, responding to the toa = t of ""'Hie Tenth Contingent."' \\:t» received with an outbuist of cheering, which continued for -e>me time. He was glad that the Tenth Contingent was going. It wa- not long since that a sbirht mi-hap had occurred in South Africa, nnd other nations were jubi lant over it. But they were not now jubilant at the despatch of a Tenth Contingent from New Zealand. Mishap or otheiwise, this colony, her people and son., declined to leave undone anything whicli would tend to bung t!ie war to a close. By ending the war they would bring credit to our Empire The Premier said Captain Turner had referred to the contingent as a writable fighting machine, but ho would go further and ray it was made up. or would be. of 1000 fighting machine 0 , all m perfect condition. Continuing, he said that no member of the contingent was supposed to be under the age of 20, but on glancing round him lie felt confident that if tho order was given " Stand up all tho=e under 20 years of age," there wouid be a fairly large percentage. He could not interfere with the action of the recruiting boards, but he thought lads who wanted to go to the war wrre like girln and didn't care to gi\e their correct age, while recruiting officers could not flisco\f-r it by looking at their teeth. He instanced a. lad of over 18 years and rising 19 who wanted to join the Tenth. As defence Minister, of course, he could not go out c iele the age limit -et by the Imperial authorities for this contingent, but as the age for the Ninth was 19 years he ordered the lad to be accepted for that contingent. He merely mentioned thr.se matters to show the anxiety of the colonial \outh to fight the Empire's cause. As with prcviou- contingents, Mr Seddon in ged thfi men to observe 'trie t discipline and obedience, without which they would be shortcoming in their duty Other contingents, even when outside the supervision of their officers, had borne a good character, and were remarkable for their conduct whene\er -put. He a-ked his hearers to remember they were New Zealanders, to beha\e as .such, and they would command the respect of all What he wanted was to see that when the war wa-, over our colony came out on top. He refei red to a letter written by I'im to Lord Roberts in 1900 recommending the use of blockhouses, and it was pleasing to know that the advocacy of such a system t-ngge-ted from thi- colony had bren adopted. A statement by the Premier that he was going with the Tenth wa-= received with deafening cheer. 3 . Mr Seddon next referred to the demonstrative re=poiue throughout the colony tr. the Empire's call. Nothing had been denied, and the work done by New Zealanders 111 South Africa would itand out as equal to anything done by the R» it 1 -li ain.y 111 the annal- of the history e>f the Empire. Tlie Go\emor had wired re plotting he wa- in-able to h(< piesent, and -..lung that h»> l.ad ieeei\<d a cable fiom tl.e SeciPtaiy of State foi Wai mgtctting that it wa- not mv ue'eel to Jsive any more direct c,ni:iii->ions to member- of colonial corp-, but that tlu-> would nrjt affect conimi = -ion» m corps now &eiwug 111 South Africa. Future coniinis-ioi)-, wcie at the ch-pc-al of the Commander-in-Chief. and some were alleaely contemplated Tne Pieinipr we-nt on to lefcr to tin- matter a- one tl at would line tc> come before thp conference of co'.oninl Premier- Continuing. Mr Soeldon said there could be no patching up of poac p. It was said the war wa- dragging along '-Icwlv, but by sending more m"ii they would quicken the pae c Tho Boer rhifj and Union Jack could ne\ er again bo joined. The latter wa- tlie j <-vmbol of freedom, the other of oppre— -'on. Con hiding. Mr Seddon rofcired to thr> excellent mobilisation of the New Zealand contingent* The fir-t had Leon sent away 111 thtvo weeks, while tho pre-ent section of tlio lentil had bee 11 pot lvady m about 14 day>- 110 \cr\ much doubted whether -uch e\eelk-nt work coulel La\e been cxcc-llc'd in any othci ]>;at of the ljriti-'i dominion-,. Tin- tciuiin iu-d '"no pr><c c Jiii^- Half of the contingent -hop ahoaid the tioop -hip tonight. The rui aiudu will not leave Trrntliam tiH Monday. The command of the Tenth Contingent, was offered to Lieutenant colonel Cullin-. but c)w ing to thp pre-sure of other duties he wa- obliged to dtilnio it. It ha- been auanged tha' Lie utrnan' eolom 1 Mr— cii^ei" '■hall have- command on tho vovagp to South Afuca, and that he -hall then hand inn the legiment to Majoi Andrew a- c c minandr r If tune pel mil- the Premier will 11111 up to Prctcnia aftc-r s:ir, al at the Cape Thp Di.nton ('i"U!',o Ic.ni'- on Monday at 5 pin . Mid c.'li- fir- 1 al Sjdney. AUCKLAND. Ai.ul 12. D W Dual >p hi- bi'ci ci.intc'l a coinUil — lull :> • llt'ltei-MI 1.1 the T< n - h Contingent, and will ".o.uo fi 1 Welhiigton to 11101 row aft.-moon. Dini'o|i l.i lor -nine \ ear- pa»t lioon engaged -i .i- 1 rit ni.: = tor at the N:i]>ior -tre. t Sel <■ I. He w.i>- al-o captain of tlie Wc-t End Rowing Club. This mornilnj tlio lininnce nf tlie linr-c; se-lec led in tlif Amkiand d.-n.i f"i t'i. >i-r of the contingent, to the I. umber r.i 250, v..Te .^hipped on the Ta:on. v. h:c 'l lift tlm afternoon for Lyttelton, aii'l -houkl anne ilieiP about TutiaLur.