THE AUSTRALIAN CONTINGENT.

Inangahua Times, Volume X, Issue 1551, 22 May 1885, Page 2

THE AUSTRALIAN CONTINGENT.

An instructive return has been pre- < pared showing the nationalities and previous services of the infantry and aiubnlance, officers included. . The i infantry strength is 532. Of these, j 283 are Australian born. England, j Scotland and Ireland, together con- i tribute 283, and men of other nation- j alities are set down at 15. There are ■ 326 who have served in the N.S-W. j volunteer forces, past and present, 94 j who have been in the Imperial Army, ; 24 from the police force, 85 otherwise : classified, including those who come j from the navy, or cadets, or who have no previous services to record. In the ambulance corps there are 36 members ; 10 are Australian natives, 18 English, 4 Scotch, 6 Irish. Ten of them were Imperial men, 11 come from the New South Wales Artillery, ' and 15 are otherwise classified. * The j force includes men of position, means, | high education, and connection, a few ex-officers and sons of officers, and members of skilled professions. Among the old soldiers are those who have already fonght in the Crimea, Afghanistan, New Zealand, America, South Africa, Abyssinia, and elsewhere. They have amongst them representatives of the 43rd Light Infantry, the Bth Hussars, the 78th Highlanders, the 58th Begiment of Foot, the 18th Royal Irish, the 98rd Highlanders, the 47th Infantry, the 16th Lancers, the Surrey Militia, the North Durham Militia, the 10th Regiment, the 89th Infantry Regiment, the 9th Regiment, the 108 rd Regiment, the Cape Town Rifles, the Volunteer Cavalry, and the New Zealand Rifles. In the company of Major Norris there are 92 Australians, 73 English, Scotch, and Irish, 27 other nationalities. Sixty-six have served in the past or present New South Wales forces, 5 in the police 25 in the Imperial army, and 41 otherwise classified, comprising 35 volunteers, from the forces of the colony*, 1 from the navy, 3from the constabulary, and three not particularly described. Captain Mnlholland's Company B has in it 52 Australian natives, 68 from Great Britain and Ireland, and 8 foreigners; 66 have served m New South Wales forces, 7 in the police 27 in the Imperial army, and 34 miscellaneous, including 18 from the navy, and 4 cadets. Five gave no previous service, and 12 are not described. The Australian element in the C Company. Major Jekyll^s 56 ; Great Britain and Ireland, 69 : other natives, 3. From the New South Wales forces there are 101, police 6, Imperial army 21. Captain Kingdom's command, D Company, includes 61 Australians, 91)

English, Scotch and Irish, 2 foreign native*, 95 from the New South Wale» fore**, fl police, 19 from the Imperial army, 1 navy, Bno record. The staff ' contains 3 of Australian birth, 7 from the British Islands, 2 hare served in Imperial army, and 1 comes under the open heading. The B Company conlain* a particularly 6ne body of men, and it bids fair to become the oraek company of th«» contingent.