WAHINE AS A TROOPSHIP.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2385, 15 February 1915, Page 6

WAHINE AS A TROOPSHIP.

[iIVELY SCENE ON LYTTELTON WHARF > THE SOUTHERN "FIFTH'! ; It was the fact-that? ther-menrwere in svoryday mufti rather than tho familiar khaki ihat made the spectacle of tho departure of between 500 and '600 recruits from Ly.ttelton for Wellington on Saturday night uncommonly impressive. Th 6 through express from Invereargill and Duncdiu had been followed by a special,troop train,, which, picked: up approved recruits'at .each station as it came along, each recruiting point furnishing its quota of -men, and almost without. exception men of a good stamp who ' for the most part, will join tho Fifth Reinforcements at . Trentham. There were among the men ; those who are to supplement other units, .but, the majority will join';the'Fifth. -. ■ The. Wahino, as.',a >rnle! leaves,' Lytteltoii at.:B pan.',:':but:as she had to wait for. .the Jtroops, J >she j did not get away until 9.15.j>:m-.-i'The troop train, sup-plemented-'by-tbe North Canterbury conlingent le'ft'.Christth'iirch at 8.25 p.m., ana half an hour later the men were pouring down the Liyttelton Wharf in loose order,; . Here'and there' 'was a. man in 'uniform! amongst them, , but'at least. 90 .per cent, were, la mufti.- The: conglomerate style ' of. .'dress 'made' for- strange contrasts.,, .HeTo was ia, dapper : city.'clericwith a bowler hat,-smart tie, andcollar, patent leather!, shoes and colourcd socks/ carrying a- neat suit-case, .whilst besido ■ him .'trudged 'his country jedusin,', carrying his all in a red bandana''kerchief. Orders must have 'been : .given to tho men to travel light. ■ Certainly," no one "travelled very, heavy. a -'few troubled' about. portm&ii-' ; -. llost of the men ~ carried. their. (''spare's" either' ill a sugar-bag or a, ■paper parcel. . ' • ••• i with wlioops : and cheers and chorus,'es, the " 'cruitiea"' scrambled through (the-big crowd on tHe wharf, and lumIbered up the. gangways iu no sort of order, and once on hoard spread themjselves. all : ,'oVer tha-ship,' fraternising tin the• jolliest spirit.. ''West Coasters {this ' way!"':. Thi s: *' way/, Coasters! . i"South>Canterburys, 1 here!" . f 'OI '01 i-O! Otbgos!" And very soon the men (sorted themselves roughly into district IgroupSjTwhilst'themuch-worried but' resourceful chief steward endeavoured to (fix them all lip .with - sleeping space. • There were no. tearful farewells. These 'had; probably..occurred at the., different 'points along tlio line, and only light- ! hearted raillery was flung across, the ibulwarks prior to the vessel's lines be!ing cast off. ..There. was . ajnoiip; . tiid Scrowd of 500 or 600 on the wharf a number of people from Christchurch, ; who had come down to see their'friends Jandirelatiyes off. -They brought with 'them a cornetist, wlio played "The Marseillaise," ' . and finally, !'•' 'Say Au Revoir, but not Good-bye! v "Give me a : button, Tom!" It was 'a- girl's' timid' voice in whichthe sharp 'eat* could detect, a world of feeling. The nequest was accompanied 'by an upiward glance frbm'a pair of moist-eyes. j:A button ' was : promptly hacked off. ; "Hero you aro, my dear, catch! Good--bye I" And the-brass button clattered lon the wharf to tho girl's feet. ' | '^Good-bye-South Island!" ghouted a j trooper'from tho boat-deck, as the Wa- ! liine shot: out swiftly into the night, '.with: the lights' of .Lyttelton" in her trail of stars. ' . /

i The southern contingent came up in 1 charge of- Major Moller, of Dunedin. j Detachments were picked up at Inveri cargilL, Gore, ,> Dnnedin, Talmerston,SOamaru, Timaru,. Temuka, Ashburton, :unci Christcfoiirch. The.West Coast conit,ribution' numbered forty-five. -They j came overland .as a separate -unit', join'■ing .the main body of remforcei'ments at ' Ohristchurch. The men were ,'tallied off the AValiine, lined up on the . wharf,' drafted out to' Trentham by a jispecia! train- during tlie. morning,' and .'"shook down" into their new quarters ijluring tho day. .. I 2 The passengers by tie Wahine also ilincluded several of tho -''.hew Samoan :'Contingent, who have been on leave in ! Uie south. •