lI.—LETTER FROM MAJOR-GENERAL HUTTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2650, 28 December 1904, Page 69

lI.— LETTER FROM MAJOR-GENERAL HUTTON.

The Premier received the following letter from Major-general Hutton, dated June 9, near Pretoria : —

"Dear Mr Seddon, — It will, I am 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 Bobin and that under Major Davies. Major Robin, being the senior officer, commands the battalion, with Major Cradock as his second in command. In every engagement in which they have taken part, upon every occasion when hard work or peculiarly dan- ' gerous service has fallen -to their lot, they have --always acquitted themselves "well. Since leaving Bloemfontein on the Ist May, we have been continually marching and engaging the enemy. The day's work has been always long, followed often by cold nights on outpost duty or guard, the exposures constant, and the amount of our rations precarious. All have been taken in good :part, and I always feel confident of • the result when the New Zealanders are detailed or selected for anything specially difficult. Among an" especially fine lot of .fighting men such . as are to be iound m the .brigade from all parts of the Empire, none have a higher reputation ior steadiness^tunder fire or for that dash and gallantry 'when the moment arrives which are so peculiarly the attributes of Brit sh troops of .the 'highest type. "New Zealand is especially fortunate in the officers selected for and serving with ■the Mounted Rifles. There are several, whom I do not wish invidiously to name, ■ who would take a very high .place among the best of mounted infantry -.officers, who, as you are aware, are the picked officers of the .army. An excellent feeling exists, I am glad to say, foeSween :all the various representative -battalions irom the different colonies, and I feel certain JShat the cooperation together :in this eamp'aign of the .representatives from Canada, -Irom the sis colonies of Australia, and "from New .Zealand will contribute more 'than anything el.se to >w.eld the whole military element \of th^ I^pjre into such a (powerful national j defence Jorce as -will "some day astonish 'the Queen's enemies. - "The campaign is .drifting -to .a close, and if "Providence .so wills it,' the final stage of .the campaign since (the Ist of May will be .proved to be one of the most interesting pkges of our military history. If .the casualties- -have been few, the reason may ' 'be .ascribed to the admirable .strategy of i Lord .Roberts, and to the able leadership of ' General -French, .under whoae supreme com- '' inand the brigade -has acted since the 10th of May, rather than to the enemy being reluctant and unwilling to meat in .the field on equal term.*. The campaign has" t&ucrht us" all many lessons, and among others, the lesson that all her Majesty's forces — wherever .they exist — mu,st have ! cm? individual -system of training ' ar,d organisation- and of equipment. I It has ' 'been clearly proved thar j we do not .require conscription to provide the Empire with the finest troops which any occasion could demand, but we do require some system suitable or- j ganisation, which will enable the "Empire as j a whole tto utilise the material which she possesses in such profusion. It would -be folly to suppose that the ■2QO;000 men now in South Africa have the organisation, the .j training, or the equipment which would fit ' thorn to compete successfully .with the armies of (Europe. "Will you allow me in conclusion to again convey jny congratulations to the New Zealand ' Government and 3-ourself upon being so well and in such a .distinguished manner .represented by the New Zealand Mounted Rifles now serving under my command."