COLONEL PORTER INTERVIEWED.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 9487, 26 July 1902, Page 3

COLONEL PORTER INTERVIEWED.

The London correspondent of the Auckland Star writes:—Lieutenant-Colonel Porter is staying with his daughter (Mrs Howie) at her flat, at 13, Ash worth Mansions, Elgin Avenue, Maida Vale. I had a long chat with him oil Thursday and, congratulating him on his being specially mentioned in Lord Kitchener's despatch, found that the first intimation ho had of this distinction was the announceniejit of tliu paper. Colonel Pinter was quite ready to talk about his gallant boys of the 7th, but modestly declined to say anything about his own achievements as their commander. From the signed photograph, of Lord Kitchener on the mantelpiece, and the mention in the despatch, and from the extent of the command at various times assigned to the New Zealander, it was evident., however, that the Coinmander-iii-Cliief reposed a great measure of confidence in the veteran of the Maori war. On Sunday week, by the way, Colonel- Porter is to lunch at Chelsea Hospital with Major Bruliton, who also took part in the Maori campaigns.

Of course, Colonel Porter had much to say about the Botluisberg battle and the gallantly of his men, laying special stress on the fact that every New Zealamler who fell w;is killed or wounded in. his shelter trench with the exception of oim; man, who was killed as he was passing to another trench to try and get more ammunition. The severity of the engagement was shown, by the fact that the Boers were compelled to leave their dead on the field, a very rare occunvneu for them. In reply to my queries as to the resources of the JVew Zealanders, Colonel Porter mentioned one instance of coolness and ingenuity which I think deserves record. It took place- in the course of a, drive in the fog in the Eastern Transvaal. The Seventh were told a British force was proceeding parallel with, them on their right, and ait intelligent, corporal and two" troopers were; sent out with a despatch to try and get into touch with Gneneral C. and let him know (heir movements. They saw a body of troops, moving in the direction in which General C. was expected to come, and rode almost up to Wiem in the fog, but. were speedily surrounded by another body of the eneinv Resistance to the death would have been futile, for the Boers would have been certain to discover the despatches. The corporal therefore surrendered. Then the usual process of stripping began. This would p never do. The corporal had concealed the despatches in—well, his "midies"—and when his coat, was stripped off he. began to expostulate loudly. They had no right to' strip him. He would be disgraced and degraded if he- went back without hi* uniform, and he demanded loudly to, be brought before the" commandant^ Viljoen rode up and,. admiri'rijj the man's courage, asked him a. few questions and then ordered his clothes to he returned. After a time the New Zealander was released and made his way to General C. with the despatches intact.' Colone.l Porter and his ofiicei-s received no invitation to. the Aldei-shot Review, a function which would have specially interested the colonials, and so far the arrangements for their entertainment here seem, to put it mildly, som.ewh.at meagre.