CO885-(7-8) — Page 242

No. 89.

NEW ZEALAND.

GOVERNOR THE EARL OF RANFURLY to MR. CHAMBERĻAIN.

(No. 16.)

SIR,

(Received April 19, 1900.)

[Answered by No. 90.]

Wellington, March 1, 1900.

1. I HAVE the honour to inform you that the third New Zealand contingent left Lyttelton on the 17th February in the S.S." Knight Templar."

They consisted of 10 officers, 1 surgeon, 1 veterinary surgeon, and 249 non-com- missioned officers and men, also 279 horses.

I append a nominal roll*; the names are reported to me as accurate, but the numbers attached are subject to correction, and a corrected list will be forwarded from Albany.

2. By the S.S. "Undaunted," which sailed a few days later, 96 horses were despatched, consisting of 30 presented by Otago as remounts to the New Zealand first contingent, and 66 sent to Lord Roberts as remounts for the New Zealand troops, or for any other purpose he may prefer.

3. The ceremony of the departure from Christchurch was witnessed by a vast crowd of enthusiastic people, and the whole route to the station where the troops were entrained for Lyttelton, about two miles, was lined with onlookers, every window and point of vantage being filled, the crowd cheering the contingent continuously through- out the march.

4. At Lyttelton, where the embarkation and final farewell ceremony took place, some 40,000 people were present, and their enthusiasm and loyalty were equal to the demonstrations earlier in the day.

5. I might add that the reception accorded me as Her Majesty's representative was second to none that I have received since my arrival in the Colony.

12156.

No. 90.

I have, &c.,

RANFURLY.

NEW ZEALAND.

MR. CHAMBERLAIN to GOVERNOR THE EARL OF RANFURLY. (No. 21.)

MY LORD,

晕

Downing Street, April 30, 1900.~~

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch of the 1st ultimo,† on the subject of the departure of the third New Zealand contingent.

I have read with much pleasure your report of the enthusiasm displayed by the people of New Zealand on this occasion; and I have no doubt that the remounts despatched on the " Undaunted" will be most acceptable to the military authorities in South Africa.

I have, &c.,

J. CHAMBERLAIN.

• Not printed.

† No. 89,

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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