WHAT BOER PAPERS SAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 293, 11 December 1899, Page 3

WHAT BOER PAPERS SAY.

AFFAIRS AT JOHANNESBURG,

According- to the "Diggers' News," the Boer forces at the Battle of Glencoe only numbered COO. These are some of the headlines to the account of the battle:—"General Meyer's fight —A Terrible Combat—Burghers Under Heavy Fire —For Over Nine Hours— Cavalry Charge Repulsed--The Lion of Vryheid's Stand—Maxim Gun Captured— Camps Raked With Shrapnel— Grappling- at Close Quarters —The Fortunes of War —Burgher Forces Retire —Enemy in Full Retreat — General Mortally Wounded'—Heavy British Losses—Braving- Great Odds'—Meyer's Gallant Seven Hundred—Assail Six Thousand Men" —and so on. The battle at Elandslaagte was f ought, according- to the same authority, between :i thousand burghers and six thousand British. "Our (that is, the Boer) loss is estimated at fifty killed. That of the British at approximately six hundred." There is a g-ood deal more of similar stuff about all the fig-Ming- that has occurred. General Cronje, for instance, wired: "Will effect the downfall of Mafeking on Monday. Only one result is possible, and the surrender of the town is inevitable." RAND POLICE TO THE FRONT. As soon as the news oi the reverse at Elandslaag'te became known in Johannesburg-, a great wave-of ''patriotism" seems to have swept over the Hand police of diverse nationalities and character. "There was something- approaching- a riot," says the "Diggers' News," "as the report of a reverse percolated through the police force, whose martial spirit it had been difficult to restrain during the last few weeks. There Avere many j open vows of insubordination if orders were not immediately forthcoming- to | permit the men to proceed to the front." Commandant Schutte, it appears, had been making- urgent representations to the Government for some days, and had threatened immediate resignation unless lie were allowed to g-o to the front. The news of the reverse at Elandslaag-fce seems to have brought the Government to a decision, and Commandant Schutte. and the gTeater portion of the Rand police received orders to proceed to the front immediately. The commando was expected to be a very large one, as several burg-hers had delayed their departure for the front in order to be able to accompany Schutte. THE FORT DENUDED. O,ne effect of the operations in Natal has evidently been to take away the garrison from the fort on Hospitalhill. Guns and garrison have been sent post haste to the Natal base. Lieut. Yon Dahvig-, with a few men and one gun, now occupies the fort. Lieutenant M. J. van Dam has been appointed Special Commandant of Johannesburg in succession to Commandant Schutte. Meanwhile the police have apparently been clamouring" to be allowed to enter stores and "commandeer" any articles that they may find useful. Four men were arrested on the 22nd, three of them being special police, for looting untenanted residences. Dr. Krause, the Public Prosecutor, has, according- to the "Diggers' News," received personal instructions from the President to prosecute looters with the utmost rigour of the law.

As regards the actual position in Johannesburg, a study of the "Diggers' News" reveals several interesting facts. No natives or coloured people are allowed to be out in the streets between the hours, of 7 p.m. and 5 a.m., without special permits, contravention of this regulation being visited with a maximum fine of £5 or fourteen days' imprisonment, with or without fifteen lashes. White persons are not allowed out after 9 p.m. or before 5 a.m., subject to a penalty of £10. or eight days' with or without hard labour.

It further appears that a very stringent liquor edict has been issued. It seems that the sale of liquor at public bars has been practically entirely prohibited.