Returned Troopers by the Montrose.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIX, Issue IX, 30 August 1902, Page 563

Returned Troopers by the Montrose.

The troopship Montrose, with 1000 returning New Zealand contingenters

aboard, arrived in Auckland on Tuesday lash "Sickness on board” was signalled as the steamer passed Tiritirl, and owing to thia Pilot Sainty did not board the vessel, which followed his launch, the Kuaka. Dr. S harman, port health officer, accompanied by Dr. Makgill, district health officer, went out to inspect the vessel, and her passengers, a rigid inspection of all being determined on. It was ascertained that ' there was an outbreak of measles and scarlatina, and that about fifty were suffering from one or the other of those complaints or from pneumonia. All with the exception of one ease were among the troops, one of the crew having been attacked by measles. The health officers decided that the invalids would have to be landed in quarantine, and that before any of

the troopers could land the vessel and

their kits would have to undergo - fumigation at Motuiht The vessel proceeded down to Motuihi about mid-day, fifty beds having in the meanwhile been prepared for the reception of the invalid troopers. The major portion of the Montrose’s passengers belong to the Tenth Contingent, but there are also details from others. In all 215 Aucklanders were included in the Tenth, ao that the number to be landed here should not fall far short of a couple of hundred.

The Tenth Contingent has had a holiday trip, with just sufficient time ashore for the novelty of South Africa to begin to wear off. The men were two months in South Afica, and they reached as far inland as Newcastle, celebrated in the earlier stages of the war. They were employed for a while on blockhouse duty, but of active warfare they saw none. The "diapason of the cannonade” was not for them; neither did the whispering whistle of the deadly Mauser make music in their ears, and a Boer was not seen over the sights of their rifles. They never had a chance to show of what stuff they were made, for within a fortnight of their arrival peace was declared, and the • preparations for their return were not*long in the making. Their return trip was made in perhaps the best vessel that has conveyed colonial troops from South Africa to their homes, and the sickness aboard can in no way be attributed to the vessel. The health officers, Drs. Shannan and Makgill, were highly pleased with the excellent condition in which they found the vessel. Nowhere was there any sign of filth, or any disagreeable odour. The food was sufficient and of good quality, according to a concensus of opinion of a number of the troopers. Of course grumblers were not absent; they never are, but on the whole there seems to have been little to complain of; in fact, the strongest objection voiced was the monotony connected with an invariable diet of stew for breakfast. The discipline of the 1050 men on the vessel was perfect, the men obeying their superior officers with cheerfulness and alacrity. Some of the cases of pneumonic diseases which occurred on board were, according to the opinion of the officers and troopers alike, caused by the carelessness of the men themselves, some of them lying about on wet decks after they had been distinctly told not to do so.

The names of the troopers conveyed to the Auckland District Hospital to-day are: —Trooper C. R. James, Washdyke, Timaru; Trooper A. R.

Smiley, Arrowtown; Trooper R. Graham, Matua, Whangarei; Trooper J. Platz, Wanganui; Trooper D. S. Beattie, Feilding; Trooper Sherlock (of Eighth Contingent); Trooper G. G. Manson, Balmoral, Canterbury; Trooper C. Gaffney, Invercargill;

Trooper D. Jackson, Mangaweka, Ran-

gitikei; Corp. P. J. Cowper, Frazertown, Wairoa, Hawke’s Bay; - Trooper J. T. Meredith, Hilton, Temuka, South Canterbury; Trooper A. 5. Blyde, Inglewood; Trooper W> ».

Stafford, Auckland; Sergt. P. Petherick, Willis-street, Wellington; LanceCorp. H. T. Doyle, Ki hikihi, Auckland. All are suffering from pneumonia, but Manson, who has scarlet fever, following on pneumonia. Trooper J. T. Meredith, who is ill from pneumonia, will be conveyed to the South at his own request. The following sick men, who are not seriously ill, will be taken to their homes by the Montrose: Troopers J. Inam, Cox, Quinney, Rogers and Sands.

The following were landed at Motuihi:

No. 1 Regiment (North Island): Trooper J. H. Drever, Whangarei; Trooper R. M. Bell, Durham-street, Auckland; Trooper W. N. Taylor, Christchurch; R. W. Campbell, Masterton; M. J. Greene, Hastings; F. McKinnon, Waller-street, Wellington; A. G. Melgar, Thames; A. A. E. Pennefather, Feilding; J. R. Hunt Feilding; Lance-Corpl. D. Campbell, Toko, Taranaki; Troopers D. G. Morgan, Tawa Flat; B. F. Evans, Eketahuna; W. H. Monteith, Waituna West; L. D. Knight, Sandon; J. Ryan, Dannevirke, Hawke’s Bay; W. McLean, Dannevirke; A. Church, Masterton; W. Luxton, Waitara, Taranaki; A. C. Woodhead, Manawatu; E. J. Wright, Island Bay, Wellington. No. 2 Regiment (South Island): Hitching (9413), Jones (9654), Reid (9323), Vincent (9217), Campbell (9274), Bushell (9142), Hopkins (9133), -McConnell (9194), Adam (9140), McDonald (9312), Larrett (9296), Kelly (9294), Lowe (9298), Lammas (9297), Sutton (9333), Andrew (9119), Geddes (9403), Tait (9451), MePherson (9427), Kay (9410), Cromb (9382), Phillips (9432), Ward (9455), Owen (9596), Wadsworth (9570), Anderson (9474), Orchard (9454), Smiley (9561), Marsh (9666), Davidson (9641), Stephens (9678), Keetley (9686), Upton (9338), Welsh (9128), Kelly (9414). ■LIST OF THE AUCKLAND SECTION. The following is a list of the Aucklanders landed from the Montrosqt TENTH CONTINGENT. Officers: Captain and Adjutant C. E. Browne, Captain F. Chapman, Lieutenants E. C. Clarke and H. Whyte. FIRST REGIMENT. Regimental Staff: Regt. Sergeant-Major wm. Gordon, Regt. Q.M. Sergeant L. H. Wilson, Transport Sergeant L. R. Hook, Pay-Corporal Jas. Gilpin, Hospital Sergeant C. T. Mltchinson.

A Squadron: Squadron Sergeant-Major H. N. Taylor, Squadron Q.M. Sergeant H. Miller, Farrier-Sergeant E. S. Cock, Hon. Sergeant-Major R. C. C. Harsant, Sergeants N. McGruer, H. W. Lloyd, and R. C. Warren, Lance-Sergeants C. A. Caradus and J. McLean, Lance-Corporal W. H. Jones, Hon. Corporals R. M. Power and G, H. Whyte. Troopers A. Ashdown, G. H. Auckram, F. Bracey, R. M. Bell, 3. A. Castles, W. H. Cross, R. R. Connor, T. W. Christie, Hon. Farrier-Corporal E. J. Cullen, Troopers J. Dobson, G. Goffin, Hon. Corporal R. V. Bourke. Troopers T. Greene, W. M. Gosset, C. W. Gillander. J. G. Gallagher, Lance-Corporal W. S. Harris, Troopers A. E. Johnston, J. McKandry, E. Roderick, J. Patterson, W. H. Flatt, Lance-Corporal L. C. Forgle, Troopers H. Newdtck. G. E. O'Halloran, —* Patterson, J. K. Potts, A. A. Scott, C. J. Stewart, W. T. Wynyard, J. McCarthy, W. H. Palmer, F. Jones. K. H. Kidd, J. W. Kite, 3. E. King, 3. R. Keefe, R. H. Nash, C. 3. Menzies, Lance-Corporal E. 3 Morrison. Troopers L. V. Moore, W. S. Nlcnolson. F. E. NlcHßlson, W. J. Porter. A Parrish.

B Squadron: Squadron Sergeant-Major H. W. Pearson, Quartermaster-Sergeant R. W. Johns, Sergeants J. Copland, T. A. Dunlop, A. E. Wake, Corporal A. McMath, Lance-Corporal H. Doyle.' Hon. Corp oral A. Ward, Privates H. Bellamy. R. Bulllans. W. Beatty. A. Bertram, C. Constance, J. Clive. W. H. Cully, LanceCorporal H. Cartwright, Privates E. H. Cartwright, S. Carr, G. Dennison, W. F. Cash. R. Cricket. G. Davis. J. Drever, De L. Evans, J. Ferguson. R. Graham, C. W. Giles, R. Gibb, S. P. Hutton, W. H. Holloway. G. E. Holloway, J. H. Harrison. J. Jackson, S. Jackson, J. Kerr. V. C. Kavanagh. J. W. Kewish. F. W. Lawrence, Farrier D. B. Livingstone. Privates H. B. Menzies. H. Mohr. H. F. Mullins. L. Moir. J. O’Connor, Lance-Corpo-ral J. Passell, Privates R. J. Pattison, H. Rowlands. H. B. S. Rae, Lance-Cor-poral L. Rountree, Privates A. Stannaway. J. A. Sutherland, E. J. Stephens, Farrier G. W. Smith. Privates J. W. Thornton, W. Stafford, G. A. Tuck. E. Wallbank, G. Wlllerton, O. Blowes, E. J. Wright.

C Squadron: Farrier-Sergeant G. F. Griffin, Farrier D. Wallbank. Saddler K. Young, Privates W. C Brightwell. J. Brodie, D. Collins, S. McKenzie, W. F. McGuire, E. Rye. A. H. Selby. LanoCorporala A. C. Woodhead. F. McKinnon. J. Le Comte. Privates D. G. Morgan, R. W. Campbell, W. H. Monteith. R. F. Evans. G. S. Beattie, L V. Knight, A. Church. D. Jackson, J. Ryan. A. A. E. Pennefather. Hon. Corporal R. G. H. Park Private A. J. Marshall.

D Squadron: Farrier-Sergeant F. J. Delaney, Saddler W. Burdett, Private* A. Davltt, M J. Greene. W. Penny. D. Vasty, S. Veaty, W. Walley, Corporal R. F. Harkness, Privates E. O. Mills, T. H. Dickinson. T. J. Couper. W. McLean. E. Mills. J. Platz. J. R. Hunt. A. H. Blyde. H. A. Quinney, Wm. Luxton. SECOND REGIMENT. Officers: Lieutenants Corlett. Glaason. and Garland. E Squadron: Corporal P. G. Hume. Private F. E. Gill, H. Ashton, R Bushel!. F Squadron: Sergeant J. J. M Dibble. Corporal J. McWilliams. Privates Thos. Jones. T. H. Clark. D. Nelson. G Squadron: Squadron Sergeant-Major J. J. Cooper. Private D. A. Simmers. H Squadron: Privates A. Coleman, F. M. Clancy, J. Dobson, T. Fleming. W. E. Acklna. I Squadron: Squadron Sergeant-Major D. Gallaher, Sergeant W. Thorp. Privates Curtain. J. Cook, Dreaver, Ford. Gtffnjy. Jamieson. Lyttelton, P. Smith. Harwood, Davidson, A. H. Jones. EIGHTH CONTINGENT. Sergeant H. T. Carter. Corporal F. H. Webb, Troopers Bell, C. F. Gedge, H. McGill, and A. Shellock. Some of the troopers quarantined do not appear to be progressing so satisfactorily as was expected, and on Sunday last one death was reported from pneumonia—that of Trooper A. H. Blyde, of Inglewood, a- prominent athlete. Other severe cases are Troopers Parker (Gisborne), Manson (Canterbury), and Harksworth (from the South).