THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER. TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 1902.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 173, 4 March 1902, Page 2

THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER. TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 1902.

SINCE the 20th October, 1900, when the First New Zealand Contingent left Wellington, to b'o followed at intervals by seVeh more, the war in youth &friclt has possessed the interest of all in the colonies. On many occasions our citizen soldiers have proved themselves worthy upholders of the honour of the Empire, but it has remained for our last contingent to put the coping ntone on their achievements, and drive back a trapped and furious enemy attacking ifi vastly superior force. The horror of the situation must have .been intensified by the, fact that the conflict took place at night, with a light rain falling, and that our men had to first withstand th& rush of a herd of infuriated ckttle, behind whose impact the Boerfe hoped to push through. With desperate bravery the New Zealanders withstood theicharge and shot enough of the bullocks to check their onrush. Thou thfe attack was.pushed home by the Boers, and although with desperate valour our men stemmed thfe

fide, it was -at s> heavy coat. \ Among the slain were repre- | sentatives of many towns, an& | Waiiuate gave her first dead ih i Trooper Alfred hitney, a young | man of 2ii, and of infinite protnisfc. | We ourselves Lave'known him

intimately for over ten years,and can 'unhesitatingi'y'fsa y;. thals,,ho was one of the best who went from out shores. In ordinary cases to be cut oil in the- morning of life ,’a a sa I fat-, and but little consolation can be offered the bereaved relatives; still, it is \ given to few to die so choice a death as those who have so suddenly gone before. Theirs" are-names worthy to be iank6& with the Empire’s noblest and \ bravest,and through the changing | years their deed will shine with ■ greater lustre. That is all tho j consolation the world can offer, • but surely it is what our dead I could wish. For they, like the i brave old Homan, as lie prepared for what seemed his last tight, might well echo the spirit of tho | wor ts : | For how can man die better than facing * ftarfnlodds J For the ashes of his fathers and thfc j temples of his gods? is