AUCKLAND SPECIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 292, 17 December 1901, Page 2

AUCKLAND SPECIAL.

MAJOR MaDOCKS.

i Special to Times, i Auckland, last night. London correspondent writes : " Major Madocks, who r distinguished himself with the New Zc : • dors in South Africa last year, has nr .on allowed to remain idle very long. 1 the trip Home from Xew Zealand, An.jrica, he rein lined several we- Hr- had been m England only ten d■ . Immediately on his arrival, althou-- * his leave had stili two months to run, he volunteered at the \\ ar Olhce for active service. His turn came at once. General lan Hamilton has resigned the position of Military Secretary at the War Office, and is going out to South Africa to serve as chief of Lord Kitchener's staff, and will take his departure on Saturday. He has*offered Major Madocks a position on the Headquarters Army Staff, which the latter lias gladly accepted ; so he will accompany Sir lan as .Deputy-Assistant Adjutant-General." All Major Madocks’ friends in the colony, and they are many, will be delighted to hear of his good fortune.

THE WAR OFFICE. In the course of his remarks reported from Wellington, about the War Office, Mr Seddon said it would be just as well for the War Office to clearly understand, now that the colony was playing a most important part, and would in the future play a most important part in South Africa, that the War Office must not snub the colonies. When the Agent-General cabled to him a couple of days ago, saying that they were not inclined to listen to him, he (the Premier) came to the conclusion that it was about timo the same War Office, which in his opinion had forced away from itself that sympathy and support which it ought to have, should know its position. He had hoped, and still hoped, with Lord Roberts at its head, it would be brought into closer touch with the people. He added that if the colonial forces had been given a freer hand in South Africa there would have been a much better tale to tell today. He thought himself that a week’s imprisonment would have been quite sufficient in Tasker’s case.