TOPIC:

J.P. Salter,4th Contingent New Zealand Mounted Rifles-suicide at sea,29.12.1900 3 years 8 months ago #76441

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1081 Private John Patrick Salter died while being invalided home, aged 22. His name appears on various memorials in Port Chalmers and Otago. www.sooty.nz/Port%20Chalmers%20Primary%2...%20%28updated%29.pdf

Otago Witness, Thursday 23rd August 1900

THE PORT CHALMERS FAREWELL.

....At a meeting of the Port Chalmers Goodbye Committee the Mayor reported that they had arranged with Mr James Mills (Union Steam Ship Company) for a steamer to convey the Port Chalmers residents and others accompanying the contingent to the heads, and the Wanaka has been mentioned as the probable steamer. Definite arrangements have been made with the contractor who is to erect and decorate triumphal arches, and also the barricade from the wharf to the Recreation ground, and they are to be taken in hand forthwith. A social has been arranged for Tuesday evening to meet Lieutenant Bauchop, and Troopers Ward, Salter, Bowling, and such other friends as may wish to attend it. The committee had already resolved to entertain the fourth contingent at tea previous to embarkation, and although it will increase their labour and obligations, they have also decided to include the fifth contingent, should it be decided that both contingents leave on the 24th inst. As there may be some delay in the visitors getting away, by tram, it is intended that a large bonfire be lit in the Recreation, ground, and fireworks discharged, while the various bands will play.
Otago Daily Times, Monday 19th March 1900

....We have received the following" extracts from a letter received by Mr R. B. Dyer, Port Chalmers, from Trooper John Salter, of the fourth contingent, dated Beira, May 14: — Beira is a very warm place, the thermometer registered 98 in the shade the coolest day we have had. There are very few Britishers, the majority of the inhabitants being Kaffirs and Portuguese, and, like most other places, there are a few Chinamen, who get £1 a day wages as carpenters. Wages all round are very good, but a man would want to have a cast-iron skin to stand the heat. Firemen on the trains get £25 per month, and drivers on the trains get £35 per month, but it costs about £15 per month for board and lodging. Every thing is very dear, and the inhabitants charge us colonials about double the ordinary price for everything; for instance, three sheets of writing paper and three envelops cost 1s; tin jam, 2s 6d; sugar, 1s 3d per lb; ink, 1s small bottle; and whisky or shandy costs 2s 6d a drink. There are a great many Boer spies about here, and it was only the other night one of them was caught interfering with the Queensland horses, which are about half a mile from here. He was taken prisoner, and would have been shot, but the Portuguese authorities would not allow that to be done on their territory. It is a crying shame to see how the Portuguese treat the poor Kaffirs; they are continually engaged dragging some great toff or Chinamen about in go-carts, and are driven just like horses. The Kaffirs are a very obliging race, and will carry water for miles for a paltry biscuit. There was a great shooting affray about a mile away from here a week ago, when two of the Queenslanders were drinking in a bar. They were shot from behind by a Portuguese. One had his arm broken, and the other was badly wounded in the body. There are a great many snakes and monkeys, and in fact, all kind of wild beasts here. The mosquitos are a great pest. I am glad to say they do not trouble me much, but some of the chaps' faces look like a rough metalled road. There was a great stampede in the Yeomanry camp the first night we landed. The cause of the stampede, it is understood, was through a lion getting through the fences. There was another stampede last night, and it was a great sight. Just fancy 1300 horses galloping over fences and ditches, and disappearing in the jungle. It was a sight I will never forget. We have had a little sport as well as work since being on shore. Lieutenant Keddell took seven of us out deer stalking on Wednesday afternoon, and it was great fun. We roused a beautiful young buck when about two miles out, and chased him for about a mile, when one of the Queenslanders, who was also hunting on the same ground, cut off the chase, and we had him just beaten when the four centre men came down in a ditch, and of course the buck disappeared in the jungle. Wo saw three others that day, but our horses were all done up, and so we were not fortunate to get one. We arrived home at 6 o'clock, and it was then found that out of the eight of us only myself and Bessitt were lucky enough not to have had a spill. One chap, from Dunedin, had his arm broken, another was badly bruised, and all have been very sore since. The same afternoon Lieutenant Nicolson and his men succeeded in running a deer down, and we had fresh meat for dinner next day. On getting up in the morning it was fnund that Lieutenant Keddell's horse was dead, and four others on the sick line, so that put a stop to any more hunting. We have great fun at nights teaching the Kaffirs our war cry. They are very quick at learning, and can give our war cry better than the contingent can. I believe I mentioned in my last letter that Captain Fulton was very strict on board ship. But it put fresh life in us when he told us on the night of our arrival at Beira to stick to him and he would stick to us, and that we must regard his bark as worse than his bite; and since being on shore his words have come true, for he is a toff to work for, and if there is any short allowance of food he soon sees it righted. l am sure, though strict, he will he with us in any tight corner we may get into, and he has got us well up in manual exercise and scouting work. Willie Porteous, of Sawyers' Bay, is at present in our tent, and is keeping well, and wishes to be remembered to all. We have the best-managed tent and the most lively chaps, and whenever the others have finished their tea dozens of them cluster round our little lot to put in the evening. There are 12 in each tent. I forgot to tell you that the night before leaving the s.s. Monowai we invited the Imperial Yeomanry on board to a smoke concert, and I was called on to sing. I gave them the ''Briton and the Boer," which the Imperials said was never sung in England. They are all the toffs from the British Isles. One of them paid £2000 to join the force. We were all overjoyed yesterday when we received an unexpected, though very welcome, present from the subscribers of the "More men fund" of the Weekly Press [Christchurch] in the shape of a box containing three pairs socks, two packets cigarette tobacco and papers, four sticks black tobacco, one tin soluble chocolate, 1 box Hudson's chocolate, one tin meat extract, writing paper, envelopes, pencil, and a Balaclava. It was very kind of them, and showed that the people are still thinking of our comforts. Instead of having bully beef and Crimea biscuits for dinner, we had beef tea, and dissolved the chocolate and had them with a loaf of bread we bought. I was told off by the chaps to write and thank the editor of the Press, and this I did.
Otago Daily Times], 28th July 1900

ALBANY, December 30. ......

....The troopship Orient arrived at daylight yesterday from Cape Town.
....Among the troops are a number who have been invalided home, but the health of the whole of them on the voyage was good. One incident only marred the pleasure of the trip. On December 17 Tpr. Salter, of the New Zealand Bushmen, committed suicide by jumping overboard. The deceased experienced a bad fall from his horse at the front, and sustained an injury to his brain. He was some time in the hospital before being invalided home. When he was handed to the medical authorities on board the ship it was certified that he had suffered from an affection of the brain, and had a tendency to suicidal mania. In consequence three men were told off to Iook after him, although generally he appeared sane enough. At 8 a.m. on December 17 Salter while on deck told his guardian that he wished to retire, and thus distracted his attention for a moment. In that second he rushed to the side, and flung himself overboard. Without any delay the alarm was given, and four buoys were thown into the water immediately. The officer on the bridge threw a buoy to within a few yards of the drowning man. The latter made no effort, however, to save himself. A boat was lowered, and was away from the ship for an hour without finding the body. Alter a delay of an hour and a quarter the Orient proceeded on her voyage, and an enquiry was held on the following day under the presidency of Col. Parrott. The evidence went to show that every care had been taken by the medical authorities, and that the promptness of the officers of the ship in trying to save the man had been all that could be desired.
The Adelaide Observer, Saturday 12th January 1901

RETURNING NEW ZEALANDERS.

....The Hon J. G. Ward (Acting-Premier) has received information of the arrival of the s.s. Orient with 98 returning troopers aboard at Albany. The same cable contained the sad news that one of the troopers, Private J. Salter, had fallen overboard and been drowned. Trooper Salter was a member of the Fourth Contingent. His father resides at Carey's Bay, Port Chalmers.
Manawatu Standard, Monday 31st December 1900

....The Mayor of Port Chalmers, who presided at the Police Court yesterday, made a touching reference to the death of the late Trooper J. Salter, whom he had known from his boyhood. Mr De Maus said he was confident he voiced the sentiments of all the citizens in expressing deep regret at the untimely death of this fine young man, who bore a most estimable character and had nobly done his duty. It was deeply to be deplored that while returning home to his parents he should have met with such an untimely end. The sympathies of everyone in the Port would be with Mr and Mrs Salter in their sad bereavement. Sergeant Geerin endorsed his Worship's remarks, and said the late Trooper Salter was a worthy citizen.
Otago Daily Times, Tuesday 1st January 1901

Carey's Bay in 1926,with Port Chalmers in the distance.