SATURDAY, FEB. 17, 1900.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume II, Issue 110, 17 February 1900, Page 2

SATURDAY, FEB. 17, 1900.

To-DAY will see the departure of the Third Contingent — or, to give them their proper title, the Rough Riders— from New Zealand to the seat of the war in the Transvaal. The great enthusiasm and demonstration of patriotism shown, at the departure of the previous two, will, no doubt, be enacted again at Ohristchurchand Lyttelton to-day. ' Unlike its predecessors, this contingent is raised solely by subscriptions from the public, the Government paying the cost of transportation, only. The story, of we have heard so much lately, of the colonies' patriotism, loyalty, etc., needs no re-telling here, but a word or two about the Contingent would not be.* amiss. The late British reverses showed clearly what lelass of men were "wanted in the Transvaal— mounted men, good riders, used to their and to dangerous country, 4 hardy active, and fair marksmen— all of which, capabilities the colonials possess to a marked degree, as the Imperial officers at the front are

finding out. No wonder the colonial troops are accepted — and welcomed with open arms. When our First Contingent left, many mooted the idea that they would not see any fighting ; then came the departure of the second, the first being, by that time,' in the thick of the fight ; and today bails our Third Contingent, with a fourth to follow shortly. It will thus be seen that every man in the troop sailing to-day, knows that he goes forth with his life in his hand, as it were. All honour to them and also to those who were prevented by circumstances over which they have no control from going too. To Canterbury belongs the honour of being first to send a contingent raised by private donations, so that it is not surprising that the ttxajority of the members are Canterbury men, and the officer in command a Canterbury man. In regard to the latter point, we quite concur with the Government in appointing Major Jowsey to the position he now occupies — Commander of the Contingent. He possesses all the necessary qualification for a good officer, and has proved himself, since he has been with the men in camp, quite capable of commanding such a troop. Locally, to a great extent, too, are we interested in this contingent as it contains a larger per cent, of Waimate men than either of the others. Though there may really be no pressing need for the men — for what have the Boer soldiers done in comparison with the defenders of Ladysmith, Maf eking, and Kimberley— we re-echo the sentiment of Bishop Julius at the complimentary banquet to the troop on Thursday. His Lordship, who was just back from the review of the men, said :—: — " They were better riders and " better mounted men than " the volunteers whd had preceded them to South Africa, "and he was sure that they " would fully uphold the splen"did record which had been "established by the New Zea- " landers at the front." May they do it right nobly, and may " God speed our Third Contingent."