THE NEW ZEALAND CONTINGENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 96, 10 May 1900, Page 3

THE NEW ZEALAND CONTINGENTS.

Wellington, May 9. News has been received of the arrival of the troopships Waimate and Maori at Beira all well. The following cable has been received from Major Cradock by the Defence Department:—"Arrived at Bloemfontein, Hear that all sick are improving. The three Contingents are amalgamating, one regiment proceeding forward immediately in General Hutton's brigade. Eighty-nine remounts arrived mostoppoitunely, as they were urgently required." Major Cradock also mentions the death of T. Anderson, which he attributfs to dysentery, already reported as enteric fever.

A NEW ZEALANDER WOUNDED. Wellington, May 9, Sir Alfred Milner, High Commissioner, cables as follows to the Premier under date Bth May : —" Regret to report that Private L. E. Smith, New Zealand Mounted Infantry, was wounded on the sth May, 1 ' LETTER FROM MAJOR ROBIN. Wellington, May 9. The following letter has been received by Colonel Pole-Penton from Major Robin, dated on the outposts centre of the section of Bloemfontein, j March 18: —" A few lines, in haste, to let you know your Contingent took part in the occupation of Bloemfontein as well as the relief of Kimberley, Wo were promised, with other workedout mounted brigades, three weeks here to refit and remount, but we, with about 2000 cavalry, mounted infantry, and artillery, are to move off somewhere to cut off a commando of the enemy, and leave at 12.15, and are supposed to get back in about six days. The horses are getting pretty badly done-up. All the officers and regiments here are astonished at the way they have kept up, and a wear by the New Zealand horses; in fact, Veterinary Officer Neale to-day informed me that he had been asked if New Zealand could in future supply remounts. I have to report that Trooper Aitken, who was wounded ihrough the calf of the leg and his horso shot while attached to Lieu*;.-Colonel Ross for scouting, is in Kimberley hospital, and is nearly well. He was wounded near J-cobsda), Mid taken by the JBoers, and a tow days aftorwards, when the troops occupied that place, ho was (tvifh cine other soldiers of the regulars) found in their hospital, having been well treated, and rsmovGd to Kimberley. Privates L'utlei-, Kelso, and Caseey, v.ho trussed tho column on the 2nd of last March. «7ere picked up ib;> t!if N.v. 1 Cv-p. -V fcvodr.-s i/tfr- ) voxliV n;:<■<> : h<j worso int jWMijiw. \\'l, ':-nva i>jif r> iy-pt I ' '

i j busy providing detachment* hero and . there and scout pavtiaß, for other i columns, which makes it difficult to keep touch, but all aro now together ; again, except the men in hospital. On r return from this expedition I will most likely have a few days, and will supply ' a detailed list of the contingent and the state of health, etc. I have no word yet cf the 2nd Contingent, but hope they get a good show. The officers are all > well, except Mr. Oanavan, who has been bad for the past fortnight, but nothing serious—diarrhoea and a sort of lowness. I am relioving him on this expedition, and trust diet and rest will pull him up. Mr. Lindsay was yesterday examined medically as to his fitness for an Imperial commission. Of course he passed, and may any day be posted to some regiment. I have to report two accidents, neither likely to have serious results. Private Blair, while in actioD, firing his carbine, the cartridge failing to explode. He opened the lever, and put up his hand to the breach to catch the cartridge, when it exploded, wounding his hand. It is now all right. Private Twogood, while cleaning a revolver in the usual way, did not know it was loaded. He discharged it, and the ball went into his foot. He has been removed to the hospital, but will soon be all right."

A LIBEL ON "MAX O'RELL." M. Paul Blouet, tho famous humorist and lecturer, better known as " Max O'Rell," has many friends in the colonies, who will be pleased to'hear that there is not the slightest truth in the report, recently circulated, that he had delivered a strong pro-Boer address in an American city, and had right roundly abused the country in which he has so long resided, and iu which

he has amassed a very comfortable fortune. The charge, which was made by an old-established London evening journal, the Globe, set forth that M. Blouet had not contented himself with merely denouncing the war as unnecessary and unrighteous, but had expressed the opinion that Great Britain was rapidly becoming the enemy of all other civilised countries by reason of her selfishness and tyrannical abuse of her naval power. M. Blouet was also credited with having indulged in the prophecy that the time was not. far distant when the power of Great Britain would be permanently destroyed by a combination of the European Powers. Naturally enough, the publication of such sentiments gave rise to much indignant comment in the columns of the British press—M. | Blouet being reminded that he had lived in England for years, and had every reason to entertain the kindliest and most grateful feelings towards a people who had assisted him so materially along the path of fortune. It now transpires that Max O'JRell has been the victim of a malicious hoax, for, as a matter of fact, the alleged antiBritish speech was never delivered by him, the date of the accusation, indeed, being two days earlier than that of the alleged lecture. M. Blouet, who bad been attacked by serious illness, was on I bis way back to Europe, to undergo an i operation, at the time the attack appeared in the Globe, but his wife at once wrote to the press denying the truth of the allegations, one retult of which, for the offending journal, is to be an action for libel, as M Blouet holds that tha statements were calculated to ruin his career as a lecturer in Groat Britain and the British colonies. The slander was all the mc re cruel in that, so far from holding pro-Boer Eentiments, M. Blouet has consistently supported the British side in tho controveisy as to the causes of the war, and has even been courageous enough to deliver lectures in France, in ivhich he reproved its countrymen for Ilia ignorance and distortion of facts exhibited, with regard to the war, by the Parisian press, The Globe was no doubt misled by some American correspondent, and its conductors muse now sorely regret that the information was not confirmed before being made the groundwork of attack.