The Ninth Contingent

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 178, 15 March 1902, Page 3

The Ninth Contingent

o Dunedin, March 12. The seud-off to the Ninth Contingent was a great success. The weather v:a.3 beautifully fine, and the day was observed as a close holiday. The city was everywhere gay with bunting. The men were, entertained at luncheon in Dunedin. The Mayor of Dunedin, the Premier, and Major Jack-on were uv •.pv-a];o;.-L-;. Eishop M'ciii having offered prayer, ttis men were entrained, and left for tho port amidst vociferous cheering. At Port Chalmers the Mayor wished tho men God speed and a safe return.

Tbi Premier, who received an ovation, spoke iit length. He wished the officers and men to have every confidence, and to feel that they had the best thanks of the colony for tho action taken. The colony had sent to the front ;jICO officers and id on. To equal this a city like Glasgow would require to send between 5000 and 0000, Canada as.OOO, Australia 24,000, and tho United Kingdom 271,000. The cost to the colony of sending the contingents would reach half a million, which was borno cheerfully. The Premier anoannced that Gaptain Jackson had boon promoted to bo Major. 110 s:iid the people must not bo sui-p'-io-'d if a Tenth Contingent wore s-:n!. to b.v.ing back the Seventh, Eighth find Ninth. This r;i:;tomoni was received with cheevs. Aficr o;h.-.r spe,ikovs had -pokon and ninny cheers hud been given, the men embarked and tho Kent sailed. The total number enrolled was 510 for the Ninth and sixteen men as reinforcements for the Seventh Contingent. The horses taken number 560. Tho command of tho Ninth Contingent iv-s been offered to Colonel Porter, with Major.; Abbott and Br.uchop next in command, In the event of Colonel Porter's nonacceptance Mnjor Abbott will be first in command, with .'Major Bauchop second and Captain Jackson third. The Kent and Devon will probably call at Durban for orders, The troopship Kent remains at the port of debarkation till tho Devon's arrival, so tint the entire Ninth Contingent may land in South Africa simultaneously.