DEMONSTRATION AT WELLINGTON.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 390, 15 April 1902, Page 2

DEMONSTRATION AT WELLINGTON.

DEPARTURE OF TENTH CONTINGENT AND PREMIER. MUCH ENTHUSIASM. [By Telegrapn—Press Association.] Wellington, last night. Though there was no origanised attempt to give the Tenth New Zealand regiment a public farewell to-day the departure of the troops and the Premier was witnessed by some thousands of people, who occasionally cheered loudly and heartily. Additional interest was given to to-day’s proceedings through the departure of the Premier with the troops. The double event of the departure of the contingent and of the Premier was deemed important enough to justify those in authority granting a half-holiday to employees in the Government service. The regiment arrived from Trentham by special train at 3 o’clock, and was detrained at Tliorndon railway station. Headed by the Garrison Band (under Lieut. Herd), the men marched through the town to Queen’s wharf. Here a great crowd had assembled, but a clear way to the wh'arf was kept by the Wellington Rifle Battalion, nearly all corps of which were represented. The College Cadets mustered in much the strongest force. There was also a fair number of the Heretaunga Mounted Rifles on parade. Lieut.Colonel Collins was' in charge of the battalion, and he had with him Major Brandon and Adjutant Harcourt. When the troops arrived at the head of the wharf, they were received by General Babington, Lieut.-Colonel Newall, C. 8., and Captain Lomax. The men were enthusiastically cheered by the crowd as they passed through the gates and on to the wharf. No time was lost in embarkation, and the whole force was aboard the steamer by half-past three. For the next hour or two the men, who were in the best of spirits, amused themselves by singing and shouting to their friends on the wharf.

As evening drew on the number of onlookers was greatly increased by the arrival of people from shops, offices, and factories, and by a’ little after five o’clock the whole of Queen’s Wharf was covered with sightseers. Shortly before half-past five the Premier arrived at the head of the wharf with the members of his family, and he was loudly cheered on making his way up the gangway of the vessel. The only speech in connection with the embarkation was made at this stage by the Premier, but it was only of two minutes’ duration. He expressed his belief that the men in the Contingent would acquit themselves nobly in the hour of peril, and was convinced they would nobly uphold the honor of their country and Empire. Then, amidst renewed cheering from the troopship and the wharf, the Drayton Grange oast off her moorings, and steamed out into the harbor. When previous contingents left this port, it had been the custom to give the troops an official farewell, but this was dispensed with to-day, as all there was to say had been given utterance to by the Premier, the Mayor, and others at the citizens’ luncheon to the Contingent on Saturday. About a hundred ladies and gentlemen, personal friends of the Premier, Mrs Seddon, and Ministers, went down the harbor on the troopship. They assembled in the saloon when the vessel left the wharf for a final leave-taking. Sir Joseph Ward, in proposing Mr Seddon’s health, made an appropriate speech, wishing his chief God-speed, a successful mission to the Old Country, and a safe return.

Mr Seddon, in reply, said tho gathering was to him pleasant in the extreme, and he had to thank everyone for the cordiality with which. they bad wished him good luek while away. I-Ie stated that he had received a cable from South Africa, intimating that Lord Kitchener desired that he should pay a visit to Pretoria, travelling by way of Durban. This he wotild have much pleasure in doing. He was, as everyone knew, going to call at Sydney on the way to Africa, and though Australian journals were usmg him to harass the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth, he had no doubt leading statesmen of Australia entertained as cordial feelings towards him and New Zealand now as in the past. Personally he desired this colony to be on terms of close friendship with Australia. When the Commonwealth had settled the tariff it would be time for his colleagues to consider what this colony was prepared to do. Then, after general hand-shaking and a parting cheer, the visitors ' left the troopship for shore in the smaller steamer, and the Drayton Grange steamed out to the Heads.