CONGRATULATORY MESSAGES. CONGRATULATING THE KING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2516, 4 June 1902, Page 31

CONGRATULATORY MESSAGES. CONGRATULATING THE KING.

AUCKLAND, Juno 2. The Governor sent the following cable to the King: — " One thousand officers and men, veterans carrying war medals of every campaign, from Scinde in 1843, belonging to Auckland district, desire to convey thoir hearty congratulations to his Majesty the King on the triumphal issue of the war." THE ACTING-PREMIER'S CONGRATULATIONS. WELLINGTON, June 2. The Acting-Premier has sent the following cablegram to Lord Roberts: — "Hearty congratulations of Government and people of New Zealand on the completion of your good work in South Africa." To the Governor, Sir Joseph telegraphed : — " The Acting-Premier presents his compliments to his Excellency, and begs to inform him that the Government, on behalf of the people of New Zealand, desire express their warmest congratulations the Secretary of State for the Colonies upon the successful ending of the war, and respectfully suggest that his Excellency will send a cablegram accordingly." The message from the Acting-Premier to Lord Milner, through the Governor, runs : — " Warmest congratulations from the Government and people of New Zealand on the successful outcome of the negotiations which have brought about the termination of the war."' The Acting-Premier sent the following to Lord Kitchener through the Governor: — " Government and people of New Zealand desire to express their warmest congratulations to Lord Kitchener and his army upon the successful ending of the war." To the Acting-Prime Minister of the Commonwealth, Sir J. G. Ward cabled : — ' ' New Zealand joins with the Commonwealth and the Australian States in their rejoicings over the welcome news of the conclusion of the war." A similar cable was sent to the Premier of each State of the Commonwealth. DUXEDIN'S MESSAGE TO LORD KITCHENER. On Monday afternoon his Worship the Mayor forwarded the following cable to Lord Kitchener: — " Lord Kitchener. Pretoria. " Citizens of Dunedin congratulate Empire upon the cessation of hostilities, also upon generalship and tact displayed throughout. — J. A. Park, Mayor." MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. At a meeting of First Church Session and Deacons' Court on Monday -evening, the Moderator, the Rev. Jas. Gibb, expressed the profound gratification and thankfulness felt by himself and the court at the news received regarding peace, which had come to hand that day. He said, further, that all would feel grateful to our brave soldiers, both of the rcgulara and of the colonial contingents, for the gallant part they had played in. the campaign. They had also sDPcial cause to be grateful to Lord Roberts and Lord Kitchener, who directed operations, and to Lord Salisbury and the Right Hon. Mr Chamberlain. Around and above all these sources the gratitude of the people should go out. to our gracious Father m Heaven, who had mercifully befriended us, and delivered us out of the maiiy perils which had threatened our Empire. A striking and altogether unusual sight was seen on Monday afternoon in Princes street, by those who stood on the rise of the road by the Post Office and looked back on that part of the street between Dowling street and Rattray street. When the procession had passed the crowd filled this part of the road from side to side and, as rain was falling, a mass of umbrellas went up. Nothing could be seen, indeed, except umbrellas. Another space between the two lines of buildings suggested a field of black mushrooms to some, and to others, perhaps, a huge collection of palm-tree fronds steeped in black. The members of the Commercial Travellers and Warehousemen's Association met in the afternoon, and, having elected a chairman, proposed a number of loyal and pariotio toasts, which were honoured with great enthusiasm. Patriotic songs and the National Anthem were also sung. At the weekly meeting of the Committee of the Otago Rugby Union on Monday evening the following resolution was passed: — " The committee records its gratification at the successful termination of the war in South Africa, and its eatisfaetioa *t the prominent

part taken in it by ths various New Zealand contingents, whose membership included a. very large number of Rugby footballers."

In his remarks on Monday at the Balcluth? peace celebrations Mr A. R. Falconer, of the Soldiers' Rest Contingent Camps, stated that it was a coincidence that, having been entrusted by their townsman Major Pennycook, who left in charge of the South Island Battalion of the last (the Tenth) contingent, with his sword to fetch home to his wife, he had left Dunedin that morning an hour before the wire had come declaring peace, but juct in time to hand it over to Mrs Pennycook with expressions of gratitude that her husband would not require it, for peace had come and the sword was sheathed.

While the procession was going up Princes street on Monday the horses in one of the drags forming part of it found themselves unable to pull up their heavy load. An individual in the drag jumped off and commenced striking one of the horses in a very brutal fashion. If words had been sticks the 'baok of this particular gentleman, judging by the remarks that were heard, would have been beaten just about as hard as he beat the horse, and then he would barely have gat his deserts.