THE WAR IN SAMOA.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXII, Issue XIV, 8 April 1899, Page 446

THE WAR IN SAMOA.

NEW ZEALAND VOLUNTEERS ASSISTANCE. Our readers are already familiar through the medium of the daily papers of the outbreak of hostilities in Samoa, and of the position of affairs there. Our pictures of Apia, especially the sketch by our artist of the bombardment, will be an aid to a clearer realisation of the scene of the war. In no part of the colony has the trouble caused the interest it has occasioned in Auckland, where it has been the indirect origin of the most feverish excitement among the volunteers and their friends. The immediate reason for this was the offer which Major Murray, the officer commanding the No. 1 Auckland Rifle Battalion, made to the Government of the services of the Battalion to proceed at once to Samoa. The news from Samoa showed very conclusively that the great drawback to prosecuting active operations against the natives lay in the absence of a sufficiency of men to act in the bush. It occurred to Major Murray that if a contingent could be sent from Auckland a great ileal of valuable time would be saved, as it would take a week or more if the men had to be dispatched from Sydney. The fact that the Auckland men were in camp was most opportune for the occasion. Having communicated his views to Colonel Pole-Penton. Commander of the Forces, and LieutenantColonel J. H. Banks, officer commanding the Auckland Volunteer District, it was agreed that an offer of an emergency force of one battalion—about 400 men— should be made to His Excellency the Governor, as Com-mander-in-Chief of the New Zealand forces. On receipt of the news Lord Ranfurly immediately’telegraphed to the Premier, who replied accepting the proffered assistance, and it was anticipated that within a day or so the Tutanekai, which was in Auckland, would leave with the volunteers on board.

It was about noon on Saturday that it became known in the camp at Epsom that the Premier had accepted the offer, and had cabled Home to England for permission to send the men to Samoa. Great was the excitement among the tents when the men heard that they had to hold themselves in readiness. The two infantry battalions at the time of the receipt of the news were out skirmishing in the adjoining fields and around Remuera, but were suddenly recalled, and the regular work of the camp came to a standstill.- The Battalion on returning to the parade ground'was addressed by Major Murray, who announced the news. The enlisting of volunteers for Samoa was then commenced. It

was announced that the Government wanted -too men, but this is presumed to include the Permanent Force as well. The Permanent Force members who were in camp at Epsom were recalled, ami left the camp at once for the North Shore. On Saturday morning’ last mounted messengers were immediately despatched in all directions to ’ bring in the troops again. The No. 1 Battalion had been inarched out by the Remuera Road, ami when the news reached them they were stationed at the corner of the road by the residence of Mr W. Crowther. M.H.R. The officer in command was instructed to march the men back to camp, and this was done without delay. All the forces had been recalled before lunch, and on being drawn up on the parade ground they were told to fall in at 2.45 p.m., when volunteers for Samoa would be enlisted. The announcement was received with suppressed excitement,and when the men were dismissed a buzz of eager chatter could be heard on every side. Everyone apparently was willing to volunteer; the only thing which made some hang back was the thought or the knowledge that they would be unable to get away from business. /Xml the latter could easily be distinguished by their doleful looks and expressions of disappointment. At a quarter to three the battalions fell in as ordered on the parade ground. After the brigade had been drawn up on three sides of a square, Colonel Pole-Penton addressed the men of the No. 1 Battalion. He mentioned that the offer of the battalion for service at Samoa had been accepted by the New Zealand Government, and said there was just a chance that he would need the men. lie would want 80 volunteers who woidd be prepared to leave for Samoa at a few hours’ notice, perhaps that evening; and .350 men who woidd be prepared to sail on Wednesday. If he did not get the full number from the No. I Battalion, the No. 2 would have the chance of filling up the vacancies; but as the services of the No. 1 had been offered in the first instance they would have the first chance of volunteering for service. At the call for volunteers the whole battalion came to the front by companies. Colonel Penton then asked those who were prepared to leave at a few hours’ notice to fall out on the left of the battalion. There was a ready response to the call, some companies sending over 20 men apiece, although it was announced that only about ten from each company would be required. The non-commissioned officers volunteered almost to a man. but only nine of them could be taken. These were chosen first, and then about 80 rank and file were picked. Great was the disappointment of those who were not chosen, some of the sergeants, indeed, begged to be allowed to go as privates, but this was not permitted. Their only consolation was the thought that they would go away with the 350 on the Wednesday. Nor were the No. 1 Battalion the only ones who wished to volunteer. ActingMajor White offered the services of the No. 2 Battalion to Colonel Penton. pointing out that most of the country men were hardy and well trained, anil thoroughly fit for active service. The Colonel thanked the No. 2 Battalion for their offer. The ‘A’ Battery (through Captain O’Brien) and the Engineers (through Lieut. Walker) also offered themselves for service in the course of the afternoon, while on Sunday Acting-Major Reid handed in an offer on behalf of the mounted men.

After the first contingent had been selected, the men were marched across to the ambulance tent and formed up on three sides of a square in double line. A table was placed in the centre of the square, at which the men were to sign the agreement to enlist for special service and be subject to Imperial regulations. The declaration which the men signed ran as follows: ’We, the undersigned, hereby agree with the Defence Minister of the Colony of New Zealand to engage under “The Defence Act, 1880.” for special service within or beyond the said colony until lawfully discharged by the said Minister; and we also agree to be subject to the provisions of the “Army Act, 1881,” of the Imperial Parliament, as defined in the said Defence Act. The rate of pay to be in accordance with the scale specified in clause 152 of the Regulations of the Volunteer Force in New Zealand, made

under the said Defence Act. Dated day of April, 1899.’ [Here followed the names.] Each man before he signed was examined in the Ambulance tent bv a medical officer, Surgeon-Captains Parkes (of the Auckland Bearer Corps), and Lindsay (of the No. 3 Native Rifles), being engaged on this work. Each volunteer was sounded, asked the usual questions as to height, age, any previous illness and so forth. One or two failed to pass the examination; two were summarily rejected for making mistakes in their drill as they formeci up outside the tent; but all the rest satisfied requirements. The work was pushed through rapidly, each man’s place being immediately tilled by another as the doctor finished with him. The enlisting was finished at half-past five, by which time eightyfive names had been appended to the declaration.

LISI’ OF THE FIRST CONTINGENT. The non-commissioned officers and privates chosen were: —Non-commis-sioned officers: Colour-Sergeant W. Mclntosh (Victoria Rifles), Sergeant .1. I). G. Shera (College Rifles), Sergeant J. I!. Donald (College Rifles), Sergeant L. 11. Moses (No. 1 Natives), Sergeant W. C. Smith (No. 3 Natives), Corporal G. T. Kretchmar (Victoria Rifles), Corporal 11. T. Gorrie (College Rifles), Corporal W. Burgess (College Rifles), Corporal Williams (No. 1 Natives), Corporal H. Whyte( College Rifles), Signal-Sergeant R. Aylett, Bugler W. Ellis. Privates: C. M. Hume, H. T. A. Stephenson, W. H. Farley, J. E. Layboum, S. H. Browne, T. F. Buckley, F. J. Petchell, F. H. Bell, G. R. F. Sayle, J. Carlson, A. Farnal, G. Atkinson, F. Jackson, H. J. S. Sellers, W. Steele, A. L. Williams, J. V. D. Connell, R. Holm Biss, Thomas E. Roberts, B. B. Banks, E. V. Fitzpatrick, J. Nazer, J. Redman, W. H. Bowler, W. R. CaVe, P. C. Bayly, R. L. Corbett, E. S. C. Coates, C. E. Robbis, W. R. Holder, E. Clark, P. T. King, B. A. Wood, S. J. Keat, F. Williams, G. W. Oram, R. J. Cottingham, H. Cutler, 11. R. Linkhorn, W. B. Campbell, W. Lepine, F. McDonald. A. J. Hill, M. McLeod, F. Morrill. W. Cowan, J. W. Martin, P. C. Firth, J. E. Alexander, W. F. Wilson, A. R. H. Francis, 11. R. Hesketh, A. Peters, L. Challis, F. Herring, R. Cunningham, P. J. Skeates, C. Whitley, J. W. Smith, R. Young, F. F. Campton, J. E. Jenkin, R. Owens. Volunteer bearer corps: H. M. Doull (corporal), P. W. McCallum, W. F. A. Pullen, H. M. Williams, C. Holloway. Quarter-master Sergeant Kearsley was also selected to act as Quartermaster to the Battalion on service. When the last of the eighty-five had appended his signature to the declaration, the contingent were marched down to the tents and instructed by Sergeant-Major Carpenter as to what each man would require:—Rifle and accoutrements, flannel belt, two pairs of l>oots, and so on. At a quarter io six the men were dismissed and allowed to go in to town to make their arrangements for leaving, with instructions to return to camp at 10 p.m. Two baggage vans had meanwhile been despatched to town under an escort. with camp equipment for the contingent.

SUNDAY AT THE CAMP. At the camp on Sunday His Excellency stated to Major Murray that, in his opinion, the enlistment of the volunteers would require the consent of the other Treaty Powers, as well as Great Britain, and that for diplomatic reasons it was not likely to be accepted, His Excellency expressed his pleasure at the patriotism displayed in eamp. and his hearty approval of all steps taken by the volunteers.

Colonel Pole-Penton also considered that there was little likelihood of the t mops being sent. Throughout the evening Samoa was I lie only subject of discussion. It was expected that news of the acceptance or rejection of the volunteers by the Home Government would reach the camp by half-past twelve that night, and all awaited the result with eagerness. The officers were, on the whole, not very sanguine us to the. chance of the Battalion's services being accepted: lint they hoped for the best. The night wore on. however, and still no word arrived. The last order issued on Saturday in connection with the departure was that Acting-Major White (No. I Victorias). Lieut. Wither (C ollege Rifles), and Lieut. Thompson (No. 3 Natives), and Surgeon-Captain

Aubin were to hold themselves in readiness to leave with the detachment whenever the order eaine. On Sunday morning, after church parade, the contingent were paraded and informed that they were not yet under orders, but that they must hold themselves in readiness to leave as soon as the call came. The Major stated that the contingent would be paid from the time they went on board the f’utanekai, and not, as some of them had expected, from Saturday, the day of their enlistment. Sunday passed without the iong-looked-for ‘call to arms,’ the various rumours to the contrary that circulated about the camp all proving fictitious. Up to the hour of going to press to-day (Tuesday) no reply had been received from the Imperial Government to Mr Seddon’s offer of troops.