ANGLO COLONIAL NOTES. [FROM THE AUCKLAND " STAR'S " LONDON CORRESPONDENT.]

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 100, 2 May 1885, Page 3

ANGLO COLONIAL NOTES. [FROM THE AUCKLAND " STAR'S " LONDON CORRESPONDENT.]

Colonial Offer of Troops for the Soudan. The strong pressure brought to bear on the Government in general and Lord Derby in particular to induce them to accept the offers of troops from Victoria, Queensland, and South Australia has resulted in a bemipromiße being given that the colonial contingents Hhallbo allowed to join the forward movement in the Soudan when it takes place next autumn. Meanwhile, the AgentsGeneral are instructed to furnish particulars as to the number, nature, and officering of the troopß tendered. There can be no doubt that though the Government have, aa a matter of policy, felt obliged to take this course, the authorities at the War Offico are far from favourable to it. Lord Woldeley wants picked soldiersfor this tropical campaign — men of exceptional physique, nerve, and fighting exp.rence. Such I help as can be rendeied by unschooled and | half-drilled colonial Volunteers will, it is to be feared, be of little use. What Lord Hartington and the Duke of Cambridge expect from them is obvious from their suggesting that thoioughly capable officers should be supplied from the English regulars to drill and temporarily lead the colonial warriors. The strange apathy displayed by New Zealand at this crisis still affords subject for discussion in Anglo colonial circles. Mr Gorst absolutely apologised for the colony in the House of Coiiiinous the othor evening, hia contention being that had the offers of Victoria and Queensland been properly received, New Zealand would also have come forward. The news of the sailing of the New South Wales troops for the and ot the glamour that surrounded the occasion of their departure, caused almost as much enthusiasm hore as in the colony itself. Luckily, there was no specially interesting war or home news on Wednesday to dis tract attention elsewhere, so that all tho papers were able to give long accounts of the occurrence, and the majority also published leaders on the subject. On the same day the Agents-General of the other colonies that have offered to help met by ap pointruentat the War Office, whore they were received by ' ord Hartington, Lord Morley, and the Duke of Cambridge. Jtfis Koyal Highness assured them that ho far from refusing the colonial offers of aid, they would only be too glad to accept them. The sole point tho Government wished to convey was that during the inaction entailed by a tropinal summer it was unadvisible to have more troops in Egypt. They would, however, bo quite in time if they joined the forward movement a few months hence. Further than this, it was desirable to know what forces the colonies had at command, how they were officered, and what had been the nature of their drill. The Duki also, 1 believe, suggested that if any of th< colonial troops had need of experiencec officers, the Home Government wouU supply them. The Agents-General agreec to procure the necessary information.