The Daily News. TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 1901. OUR RETURNING TROOPERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 114, 4 June 1901, Page 2

The Daily News. TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 1901. OUR RETURNING TROOPERS.

The distinguished service.3 rendered by Oolontl Davis appear to make the occasion of bis return a fitting time for some demonstration in hoLor of the Taranaki members of the New Zealand Contingents who have served in South Afiica. It is only a lit 1j more than 12 months ago since the South African Republics declared war against Great Britain, and the news caused an outburst of enthusiasm which was unprecedented in thx ti'itory of the Britis'i nation. VVe believe that Caioail Davie, then Captain of tLe Ha^era M'.unted R.fles, was almost the fist man in the colony to ofl'.r his services. The rapid promotion be has gained, from Captain toLieut.-Colonal, and the honours bestowed upon him, particularly his ehvation to the pc-si- ' tioii of Commander of the Bath, speak volumes for the high opinion formed of his srvicea and conduct by the distinguished Biitish Generals under whom he served It -s only right that T<t/a.i'aki should feel proud of the conduct of her men in the field and that the return of their leader should be made the occasion for giving public nxpre-sion to the satisfaction every one in Tarauaki must ft©!. We tru t, therefore, tbat'stsps will be taken to arrange for sssembling all the returned trooprrs together on the return of .0 .lonel Divis, and giving him and them the welcome due to them and worthy of Taranaki. In this matter New Plymouth, as the provincial capital, ehoul | take the lead, and through its Mayor ; tender, in such manner as nuy be decided upon, the heartfelt gratitude and -admiration cf the peip'e of Taranaki for tfce way in which the! name of Taranaki, the honour of the colony and the Emphv, has hern upheld by the Taranaki repres f ntatives in the.s?veral coaiicget,ts. Adv>ntige ! might to be taken of the occasion to assemble, to meet Oo'onel Davis, the whole of the officers of the newly formed Taranaki Battalions, mounted and ii'fantry. No gre.iter honour c uld be conferred on one who always took such a ketn interest in volunteering as| Colonel Davis, than to be welcomed home by these officers, and learn of the success of (he volunteer movement here. While on the subject we should al:o line to see s mstbing dona to honoi 1 the m mory of tt.oss who have fallsr, whether tiny met their death ou the battle field or fell victims to the deadly fever incidental to the campaign ; some peimanent memoual cf their self sacrifice shculd be erected in some public place so that our children may see the sacrifice Taranaki, in common with every part of the coloi y, has imdo on behalf of the Empire. VVe hepe tteno matters will not bj lost s'ght of,.but that steps will be taken without delay to do what is only a pkin duty to brave and heroic men—the living and the dead,