FAREWELL TO SEVENTEENTHS.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 14208, 21 June 1916, Page 2 (Supplement)

FAREWELL TO SEVENTEENTHS.

AN ExVTHDSIASTIC SEND-OFF. * *

(From "Tho Colonist," May 31.) The Nelson quota of the Seventeenth Reinforcements took their departure for Trentham training cump yestprday, and wero accorded a hearty send-off, a, large'crowd turning out, notwithstand-! iug the inclemency of the weather. The recruits, a particularly fine stamp of men, assembled at the Drill Shed, with tho College Cadets and members, of the National Reserve, and headed | by the National Reserve Band, "playing | spirited airs, marched through the principal streets to Port Nelson., Groups of bystanders cheered the men en route, and the pupils of the Haven road school assembled Jn- force and gave the passing recruits a. hearty/ cheer. 7 Speaking from the gangway of the j Pateeha, Mr. Everett (chairman of.th*| Waimea County Council) said that it j was not with pleasure that he said good-bye to tho men, but it afforded him extrenio pleasure, to have the oppor- i iunity of expressing the high esteem J in winch, they were held. Without! compulsion and of their own free will thi y were there to Answer the call of honour and duty. It only seemed a short time ago that the men for the main body left Nelson, and again and again since then, as the call had gone, through the land, the fighting men had answered it nobjy. This district was in ijo way behind other places in recruiting, in fact, he believed it was the best in New Zealand. All quotas had been filled, and there were 'sufficient men to provide for future reinforce-j ments. He had heard from that samej gangway speakers say that evenhandedi justice Vould be done to the people who were doing their share in the trials and dangers of the war. He had heard a Minister of tho Cabinet say the same thing. It appeared to him that so long as the National Cabinet got enough fighting men to fill the gaps they would not bring in conscription. Notwithstanding that evenhanded justice had not been done to the men, they still came to the call, to their utmost credit. They were going to fight a warlike foe, and they required . to be ultra-efficient to < fight them. He urged iipon them discipline, discipline every time, even though it might appear hard to them. He thanked the men in the name of the public for coming forward. Some of them might never come hack, but oven thai did not restrain them. He hoped they would do nobly, and said, in conclusion, "May God have you in His keeping." Mr. W. Lock (ex-Mayor) said ~ he did not. propose to make a speech, as the vessel w«p ready to depart, but fie wished the men every possible good luefc. It was to their everlasting credit that the men had come forward volun-i tarily,'and the public appreciated what they had done. He hoped they would have a pleasant 'voyage and a safe return.

On the call of Mr. Lock cheers wero given for the departing soldiers and for the men serving with the fighting forrcs.

As the men filed up the ga-ngw ay the National Anthem was played. The vessel then cast off amidst farewells from the large assemblage on the wharf.

SEVENTEENTH DRAFT,

The following is a list of the draft from the Nel«on area for the Seventeenth Reinforcements: — . INFANTRY. L. G. Dron, n.c.o. W. A. C. Guy, n.c.o. A. M. Jones, n.c.o. F. L. Recs, n.c.o. •R. W. Adair. P. J. Amey. W. Byrne. A. R. A. Bruce. W. Booth. A. M. Bali. ' H. Bra mold. T. Barber. T. Bray. J. Cricliton. G. Cann. F. E. Chantler. AY. T. Cavanagh D. Cruickshauk. B. Dent. A. E. de 800. J. Fisher. M. H. Fitzsimmons. H. J. E. Gimn. W. -T. Gould. M. Giles. A. P. Harvey. H. R. Hew son. C. H. Imvood. L. S. <l.ilmp.nij. J. Krarnmer. T. E. Kins;. R. M. Koi-iniiiir C. Kerv. R. Lodp:e. . j 1). Lindon. L. V. Laugesen. A. B. Mc'Caulf.v. J. A., G. MeChesney. C. MeC-owau. L. W. T-.mior. C. H. Mudford. N. S. Moon\ Jt. Novillo. E. O'Brien. 11.. W. Orion. H. P. G. Pottoi-son; V. B. PnVe. ... A. Reeves. A. Roil. L. S. H. Stent. V. M. Skilton. B. K. Stafford. W. Sewell. B. Simons. S. C. Smith. H. Smith. F. M. Thompson. A. Thaiu. W. IVL Thorn. J. Teasdale. R. Thomas. C. C. A. TahouHin. W. F. Trower. ft. F. Thompson. . F. TansJey. F. W. Thomas. J. E. YiHighan. N. Veivlove. N. M. Wadsworth. A. R. "U'helan. H. W^ilcer. J. Westnipp. J. B. Waller. J. G. Wilkinson. N. W. H. Wilkinson. D. W. Win. J. Watson. J. White. ARTILLERY. Cr. Anderson. J. A. Bmverton. G. J. Fitzwrald. ■E. E. Osborne. SIGNAL SERVICE. R. M. Lewis.

■Word lias been received that Mr BTratik ■Roohfort, of Nelson, who went -to England for: the purpose of giving Ids 'services in connection with the war, las-been appointed a.lieutenant in; tho King's Own vScottish Borderers, 9th Division, a& a transport officer. All the members of the Permanent Staff of the Defence Department have been instructed to submit themselves for medical examination, with a view to their inclusion, as opportunity offers, in the Expeditionary Forces. [Lieutenant .Tnmifson, Sergeant-Major jGardiner, and Sergeant Manning, at (Nelson, and Sergeant-Major W. Milroy, Sergeant-Major J. p. Williams v and Quartermaster-Sergeant A. W. Shall'lprass., at Blenheim, have successfully passed the test.