Sensational Story.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 510, 5 September 1902, Page 3

Sensational Story.

POSSESSES A COLOR OF TRUTH,

By Telegraph—Press Association. New Plymouth, last night. A local trooper of the Tenth Contingent confirms to somo extent the Waimato “Witness’ story of tho affray botweon tho ? Now Zoalandors and Imperial troops at Newcastle. He says ono Imperial was killed, and that several New Zealanders wero court-martialled and fined. Christchurch, last night. ■*} Sevoral officers and men of tho Tenth ' Contingent, interviewed regarding tho fight said to have taken place at Newcastle between tho New Zoalandors and regulars, expressed a gonoral opinion that tho facts wore greatly exaggerated. Nothing like two or throo bundrod New Zealanders took part, and tho majority of tho irregulars wore Australians and Canadians. Captain Luxford, chaplain with the South Island Battalion, states that ho saw tho commencement of tho affray, which in tho initial stages was an ordinary street row. A bad feeling had existed botweon tho Tommies and irregulars, and unfortunately thelattor hooted tho Tommies, and tho row, which commenced in tho afternoon, was ronowed at nignt. Ho saw tho Superintendent of Polico next morning, and was informed that only two Dragoons wero injured, and not seriously. No ono was killed. Another officer stated that tho row was the fault of a non-commissioned oflieor of tho military police, who subsequently lost his stripes. Captain Luxford denied that tho Now Zealanders used their stirrupstraps with tho irons attached, as they wore unmounted, and also that tho Dragoons oharged the irregulars.