VISIT OF IMPERIAL TROOPS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 31, 8 February 1901, Page 2

VISIT OF IMPERIAL TROOPS.

PUISLIO MEETING AT NEW PLYMOUTH. The publication of the telegram received by His Worship the Mayor (B. Dock rill, Esq) from the Hon. J. Q, Ward, the Acting-Premier resulted in a public meeting of citizens in the Council Chambers yesterday morning. His Worship the M*yor who presided said he hid called them together rather hurriedly t3 consider a telegram from th? Acting-Premier (Mr Word) regarding the movements of the Imperial The telegram had been published in the morning piper and as they could see practically settled the ques'.i&n. It was for them to say what should be done. It appeared to h m th&.t tha only alternative was if the tr.ops could be taken from New Plymouth by steamer te Ooehunga. Mr. Uevry had interviewed the manager o? the Union Company, but he understood the answer was not favoura^la.

Mr. Berry said he had s-ien Mr. Walker, the ageut of the Union Company, who sta ed that thaTk-puna went up on Tuesday, but wis t.nlv allowed to carry 200 passengers unKts she made au all daylignt trip when she could carry 800. In this case she would require to leave early on Wednesday morning, The cott would b£l per head and was, he feared, prohibitive unless all ths towns *lon« the line assisted. Mr. Walker wauld however wire his company, if noeess ry, f.*r a special cnee^sion. Mr. C. Govt tt thought thanks were due to the Mayor for calling them to gether, but ia the face of the telegiana he feared nothing could be dona. He thought in aty c..S', it would be difficult to bihVt 500 men here ; thay all knew what Now Piyraouth w*s, ar.d lit. thought under the circumstances the only thing to be done was to get ttte farts as low bk possible for thoso anxious to go to Waug&nui to see them. Mr. Mills siid it stained a pity some arrangement cou'd not be cmie 1o ; the men were, it seoiel, returning <o Wellicg'on He could not see why they could not join the otlsoM at Napier. Mr. Kerr thought they should accept Mr. Ward's assuranco that the thing was impossible, and that he h d done all he could, and accept the inevitable.

Mr. atandish thought tbe terras of the tyh'griua loft no room for bop< 4 , Mr. Ambury thought the diliL-iilty could be got; ui'rt' if the troops lofc beru on TiiesJ:ty overling. Of com so, this ment travelling ail night, but th.it wai not a great hurdsk-p. Very few, be thought-, would iitike tho lap to VVau-

Mr. Tisch thought every effort should ba made to get them to come, as they wire well worth setiug ; failing this ho shonld go to Wanganui, Maj >r Ellia feared it was impossible fo poo them here in the time allowed. Mr, stobr thought at.lngram should be pent to Mr. Ward urging atrongly that the tro >ps should be sent here ; it | would l>t Mr. Ward Bee they were I nnx'ous for a visit from them.

Mr. MeDiarmid fpoke Tiry highly of the appearance of the troops, who ware worth going a long way to sue, but he was atraid under the circumstances it would be impossible to get them ber<\

Mr. Smith, M.H.It, thought it ccu'd i bo done in spito of what had been said. He thought the Government blamaablej for not making anangements for the visit of the troops hem In the face I of what Tarannki had donn and contributed in men and hoists, had a right to claim this cousidera ion. The Government could easily Bond the Mildura or the G ivernuaent steamers round for them, and a day was no g-eat thing, 'he Imp.riil Government was giving •ur troops a good time, and we should do the same wi,h thwse troops here. He proposed that a strongly worded 'e'ogiain bo s«it to Mr. Ward, urging him to r consider his decision.

Mr. Korr said they had to consider the inwtruc ions of the Impe'ial G">ViTnmon; as to the movement of thes'i troops. The Government had all the faots of the case before them, and if they were wrong, no doubt Mr, Smith woul.l dtal with them,

Mr. Col'is said the position was somewhat different, and ;he feared under the suggestions made, there wou'd be no chance of organising acy method of defraying the expense, a? they would have nona of the locil troops here, as they were a'l going to Wellington.

Mr. Govetfe said he was afraid nothing could be done, and thby wou'd have to owe the Government a grudge for

Mr, Beriy suggested making an effort to get 200 to 250 men as they could be easily sent north in the Government steamer after spending a day here.

Mr. Allsworth thought the weak point in Mr. Ward's telegram was the proposal that the men re'.urn to Wellington. If the men we. e trained through to Napier they could get there without great lo?s of time. As regards the difficulty of billeting them, he considered if Wanganui coulJ do it New Plymouth could. All the people wanted to see and honor these tiojps out of respect to the memory of the late Quson who had sent them out, and every effort should be made to get them hero.

Mr, Mills said Taranaki was so p"OFperous that they were evidently afinid if they let the men come here they would want to stop. He hardly agreed with Mr. Collis as to the financial difficulty. The motion was put and carried, and

Messrs, Smith, Berry, Allsworth, and the Town Cletk were appointed a committee to act with His Worship the Miyor in dealing with the matter

The Committee me f » after the mesting and drafted the following telegram, which was at once despatched : —" Hou. J. G. Ward, Acting-Premier, Christchurch, - Called a meeting this morning to consider your telegram of ye.-iterday. People here very much di-app 'inted at your decision. Am reqmsted to remonstrate with you aud i point out that a portiou at le isfc should be sent here from Wanganui, aod either sent on from here by Government steamer to Auckland, via Manukau, or returned by tr.iin to Napier, !via Palmoi-aton North, instead of j returning to Wellington.—(Signed) E. I Dockkill, Mayor... I Th» fo'lowiug wire was alai sont to the Mayers of S'.rVford, Iltwora, and I Patea:— Strongly urging Government t.o sflud on at least a portion cf Imperii 1 troops from Wangansi to hero, and nsk [ your cooperation. i List evening the following replies I were receive!:—From the Mayor of Stratford. Half-holiday; nooneabout, 1 dec'ine responsibility of deciding, will tep'y on Cap". Symes' raturn to-day.

Stkuakt, Mayor, Captain Syme? returned, consider Government arrangement final and ac'-ion useless; agree with him. Stkuakt,

Mayor. From Mayor of Hawera,—Have already urg«d upon the GoTernraen'i the ri«ht of Turanaki residents to visit by portion of Imperial troop*.

O, E. Major, Mayor,

From the Acting-Premier. Ashburton, 6 p.m,

In reply to your wire Col. Wyndham will not allow troops to proceed by train beyond Wanganui. It is consequently impossible to doo ! her than has been doni. Hi cannot allow them to travel from New Plymouth to Auckland nor tonuk') the long traia journoy from New Plymouth to Napier. Tue break "f a day at Wunganui specially "rianged so as to get over this difficulty ftiii to give them a rest before li rally leaving Wellington. J am ex-ce'-d'ngly sorry that all arrangement have be3a made and cannot be altered. J. G. Ward.

Tnfi Mayor is now endeavouring ti i-et tr.tin faros fixed as low as possible and veterans cm'ied free to Wanganui. (PKH PIIESS ASSOCIATION.) Auckland, February 7. The ques'ion of how to entertain the al troops is still under considfration. The eomurittoo decided to-day, by 32 to 17, that in deference to tho wishes i f '>> rd ltohfits no into.-viam's t'e supplied to tho troops. Thy Indian ! iMOp-i will camp bora till the arrival of the Uri'i.-h troops from the south. It wms agreol to romtuunicito with O.lonol VVynham and ask him to give the men a day lorg-rin Auckland soj as to visit Jlotoiuu, and it was also di'cid' d to ask tho. Minister of Hailways to arrange for a five trip. Wellington, February 7. No toasts wiP be proposed at tho dinner to tho I>o;.it!-.i,1 troops, The !'n?'C!'.i(;rti wi'- ' < '■-.■■• '■ ■■ •■' ■>>> tempeiani:" ii'v s. rillii:-.i\ i'" -?*_■-!, '■'■/"iv-vy 7. f!i.- .! >iiv :ri' i :-:."i|> - iw:o ; vOi': ■■- '."•t-x '. ..V.iO-i .",,; .v-s;i\ x; Ohi-ish;'.i.ir',; . tisO lli-Sl- :i.:-, ..-.in-. V'.-.tOl'llv Cokm<>! WvrcUu;;. :..vrf }-. h ,-mm-y^'-,-

The first train load was detrained and formed in front of the railway station, there being an immense crowd protect, who cheered continuously. The second fr'ain ware similarly treated, and the Seaforths and Camorons wore again cheered, the whole being nnrchod to the Exhibition Buildings. The troops were entertained at supper in the Southern Annexe, the officers beiDg outer!ainod in the Great Hall. No greater demonstration has ever been eeen in the city, only the relief of I Mafeking equal ing it.

WANGANUI ARRANGEMENTS, Wanqanui, February 7. Arraagemants were practically completed to-night for the reception and (mtertainment of the Imperial troops on | Monday. A garden party on the Racfcourse will be the chief fe\ture of the afternoon at which the Maoris will give the visitors an exhibition of hukas, poi and war dances.

The visit of tronp3 is looked forward to with pleasure.

PROCEEDINGS AT CHRISTCHURCH,

CmtisTcnußCii, February 7,

The ofßcors were onttrtiined at supper at theObristchurehaud Canterbury Ulubs to-night. After the men hail ibisb/d supper they wore drawn up in the buildiog tml remained chatting and lalking with civilians who thronged the premise'* until the officers returned at about ten o'clock. 6 The troops then marched out to the street, the Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry were a guard of honour and the Garrison Band accompanied the men who then marched straight down to the railway station between dense rows of people. As representatives of each regiment appsared at the door of the Exhibition Building and descended the steps they were loudly cWred by the great orowd of people outside.