NEW ZEALANDERS AS TRANSVAAL MOUNTED POLICE.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10733, 13 August 1900, Page 2

NEW ZEALANDERS AS TRANSVAAL MOUNTED POLICE.

FAREWELLS AT PRETORIA CAMP.

BOER ATTACKS ON OUR LINES OF COMMUNICATION.

HOW LORD ROBERTS FACED THE DIFFICULTY!

THE NEW ZEALAND HOTCHKISS BATTERY.

(FROM OUR SPECIAL WAR CORRESPONDENT WITH LORD ROBERTA'S FORCES.)

NEW ZEALAND CAMP NORTH OF PRETORIA, June 30.

The New Zealanders have enjoyed a welcome and well-deserved rest in camp near Pretoria. • The town was visited almost daily by some of the officers and' men, and altogether the colonials spent a very pleasant time in the capital of the late South African Republic. The ranks of the New Zealanders were again considerably thinned by the defection of considerably over 150 men, who accepted the invitation of the military authorities to colonials to join the provisional mounted police for the 'Transvaal, or the railway, telegraph, or postal service. The arrangements made regarding the Transvaal police were similar to those in the Orange Free State. With the other departments of the public service a. very slight increase in pay was offered, and had the conditions been fully understood I question very much whether many of the New Zealanders would have entered the service. However, they have been informed by the authorities having charge of the departments named that upon the termination of the war they will be properly classified, and a uniform and adequate scale of pay instituted, so that eventually they may secure permanent and remunerative employment. The applications were made with the consent and approval of Majors Robin, Davies, Cradock, and Jowsey, who did. all that was possible to facilitate the employment of the New Zealanders. ' LIEUT.-COLONEL ROBIN'S VIEW OF THE MATTER. At the colonials' camp near Pretoria on the night before a large number of the men left for the police barracks, a farewell smoke concert was arranged, and Major Robin took advantage of the opportunity of saying a few words of farewell to the men. He was extremely gratified that the majority had stuck to the Contingents until Pretoria had been taken, and was pleased that the representatives from New Zealand had taken part in the occupation of Johannesburg and the Transvaal capital. While he had previously been against any defection from the ranks to join a provisional police force formed in the Orange Free State, his objection had merely been that, as New Zealanders coming to South Africa to fight for the.Mother Country, he considered ittheir duty to stick to the Contingent until Pretoria had been taken. After that important event, they were in every sense of the word free to do as they liked, having he considered faithfully creditably performed iheir obligations toNew Zealand and Groat Britain. While he was sorry to lose so many brave and tried , men; he was pleased that they had' been selected for important work, and on behalf of himself and brother officers of the New Zealanders' Contingents he wished them every success in their new sphere of life and their undertakings in South Africa.

The following day a batch of 100 men, including Captain Bourne (Third Contingent), Lients. Banks, Montgomerie and Somerville (Second Contingent), and Lieuts. WAlkerand Tucker (Third Contingent), left camp for the police barracks in Pretoria. On ths way to the capital they were met by another detachment of New Zealanders, including some of the released prisoners, and loudly cheered. The men were at once taken on, and th# offioer stated that arrangements "were to be mads as soon as possible for providing accommodation for them. The officers mentioned were not at once enrolled, but it is understood that they are to be formally accepted as coon as ac- , commodation can be secured. MEETING WITH BADEN-POWELL. The first expedition after the engagements of the 11th and 12th May, in which the New Zealanders took part, was one in which Major Cradock and Lieuts. Bartlett, Findlay and Todd, and "about ninety men participate d. It took the form of an incursion in. a north-westerly direction from Pretoria. It was at first reported that the colonials were to meet the column of Baden-Powell, and that they were to escort the hero of Mafeking into Pretoria. After two days' journey the New Zealanders met BadenPowell's 'column* or portion of it, and in tha evening the general visited the officers, and related amusing experiences of tiie siege of Mafeking. On© anecdote told i>j Baden-Powell, with a twinkle in his eye, is well worth recording: : — "It was about the 120 th day of the siege, a Sunday, and things as usual were slack, very slack indeed. No shells were pumped into us, and Sunday was respected aa a Sunday so far 41s hostilities were concerned. But something had to be done to relieve the monotony, and as cricket matches were the order of the seventh day, it was decided to play the noble game of cricket. General Sohoeman, who is somewhat of a wag— as Boer wags go—forwarded mc a note re- , questing the pleasure of our company at a game of cricket, Britain versus Boer. The Federal leader had* to bo answered in the same vein, as that adopted by him, and I replied to hb note with the following memo.:—"Cricket Match, Britain versus Boer: Mafeking, first innings 120 not out. Would recommend a change of bowling.' I would have liked to see Schoeman's face when the reply was submitted to him. Ifc must have been a study." With such like interesting and amusing reminiscences of the siege Baden-Powell chatted pleasantly away, and when he left our men for Pretoria carried away the best and sincere wishes of all. Major Cradock's mission was, however, not to act as escort for the Mafeking defenders. It was to disarm burghers and secure trek oxen for transport purposes; DE WET'S OPERATIONS. Having missed taking part in the attxick on, and occupation of, Johannesburg, Lieut. Johnston was naturally anxious to push on and rejoin the New Zealanders at Pretoria, but again he was doomed to be disappointed. .General D<e Wet having gathered together stray commandos, was threatening the lines of communication south of Johannesburg. It was therefore decided to despatch a strong force -to engage the- Boer leader, and disperse his men; and L><rd Kitchener issued instructions that all efficient mounted infantry details were to be sent at once to join forces with the bady operating against the Boers. The New Zealanders were included in tk« list, and to Lieut. Johnston's disappointment and chagrin, he and his men were despatched by raU to the Vaal river, sonth instead of north. I have been unable to obtain any official information as to the part played by the New Zealanders in the operations against De Wet, but with such a, capable officer as Johnston has proved himself to be, they may be relied upon to render valuable services if opportunity offered. Lieut. Wall alao accompanied the* details.

THE MEDICAL OFFICERS OF THE CONTINGENTS. Surgeon-Captain Burns, who is assisted by Troopers Harold Smith and Chas. Hanson, has been placed in charge of the Primrose Hospital, near the Primrose mine, and I learn that the popular doctor, as usual, was most attentive to the patients placed in his charge, and soon effected an improvement in. .the majority of cases. SurgeonCaptain Godfrey, of the Third Contingent, seriously contemplates applying- to be relieved, "with the object of proceeding to England on matters connected with his profession. Surgeon-Captain Craig, who left New Zealand a-s a trooper in th<e Third Contingent, but who was promoted to the rank he now holds, on the recommendation of the P.M.O. of tho Australasian forces, has been attached to the First and Second Contingents during the absence of Surgeon-Captain Burns, and has also rendered \ valuable service. New Zealand has been very fortunate in its selection of medical officers to accompany the various Contingents, and all have been warmly praised by Colonel Williams, who has frequently mentioned to mc his of the brave conduct, resourcefulness, and high standard of the work performed by the medical officers from your colony. To Colonel Williams the colonies owe a deep debt of gratitude. He has overcome obstacl-es that would have proved unsurmountable to any officer not endowed with great determination. He has overcome objection after objection raised by officers of high rank, and insisted upon, and secured, the proper equipment of all the medical officers from the colony. His arrangements have been perfect, and frequently surprised the most experienced officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps, and as principal medical officer of the Australasian field forces, and subsequently P.M.O. to the mounted infantry division, his arrangemeat of valuable but seemingly unimportant details has yir.-n-ed him to be one of the most useful medical officers engaged in the South African campaign. It was expected, that Sur-geon-Captain Burns would find his wav to Pretoria, but he lind to remain in charge of the Primrose Hospital at Elandsfontein. The captain sent mc a short, but characteristic, note from, his hospital camp: —"Patients are progressing favourably, but not rapid enough to enable mc to be with you in Pretoria. However, it is a question of Pretoria or burst, and I have no fear of the latter. Hope to see you later on. Lodge present from uunedin all safe." This last spiitenee refers to a- handsome presient forwarded by, I think, Lodge Kilwinnirig, of Dunedin, and this the genial doctor treasures very much. CAPTAINS WARD AND MADOCKS. Since our arrival at Pretoria very little information had been received as to the movements of Captains Ward and Madocks. The formar, wheiv last heard of was in; charge of the ammuniiion column of the Royal Horse Artillery. Captain Ward reached Pretoria, I think, with the main column, but where he is at present located, I have been unable to nscefta.iin. Captain Madocks, who was chosen as one of- the officers on. General lan Hamilton's staff, is still with that popular leader, and will, I presume, remain in that position until the end of the campaign. I forwarded a memo, to the captain, asking him to furnish mc with any details as to the movements of the division with which he is associated. In reply, the captain stated that so far as he knew the division was to move first to Irene and Kaalfontein, Half-way between Pretoria and Johannesburg, and from there to Heidelberg, about 26 miles southeast of the Transvaal capital. The object of this movement is to secure the line of communication between! here and Durban, the Natal-Pretoria line being a mest important one. A NEW BASE FOR SUPPLIES. From what I cbuldi gather from some of the Headquarters' staff it is the intention of Lord Roberts to transfer the supply base from Capetown to Durban, the latter being some days nearer Pretoria than the southern seaport. Capetown, of course, will always remain a base, but, instead of the Cape Colony and late Orange Free State and South African Republic lines having to bear all the strain of the congested traffic, an equal distribution will be made, and while up to Bloemfontein, Kroonstad a«d Kimberley will be as usual served by the lines from Cape Colony, Johannesburg and Pretoria will draw supplies from Durban and Pietermaritzburg as soon as everything is clear. THE RECENT PRISONERS. Most of the New Zealanders taken prisoners at Sannah's Post-, near Thaba N'chu, in the Orange Free State, have now been released, and have been enabled to rejoin their regiment. Quartermaster-Sergeant Berland has been installed into his old position, and the majority of the others have resumed duty in the ranks. Some are still suffering from the privations endured during their captivity, and have been placed on light duty; but the majority of the men are in good health on3i spirits. All the prisoners were dismounted, but I understand that General Hutton has expressed his intention of remounting the whole brigade, including the menjsrho have rejoined their respective regiments. OF REMOUNTS. A batch of 1500 remountsi arrived at Pretoria the other day, aad some 3000 are reported to be about Vaal river; and the First Mounted Infantry Brigade, to which the New Zealanders belong, are to receive a fair proportion of the newly-arrived horses, mostly Argentines and African ponies. The Argentines have proved* a failure, and are not to be compared with Cape ponies; while the horses from New Zealand are points ahead , of both, and compare more than favourably with the best of the English military horses. The Indian ponies stand the now rigorous climate well, and are eagerly sought after by the officers in search of remounts. Some of the horses, particularly those supplied to the Imperial Mounted Infantry (consisting of men from infantry regiments, and who have passed the riding test) tute of such poor quality that it is exposing men to unnecessary risks to put them into action, for a six mile gallop would prostrate the majority of the weedy animals. • DAMAGE TO THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION. Since our arrival at Pretoria considerable annoyance and delay in the transit of rations and forage have been caused by the destruction of or damage to railways, bridges, culverts, and buildings, principally between Pretoria and the Vaal river and the vicinity of Ki-oonstad, those responsible being detached portions of the commandos undar Generate De Wet and Botha. Deepite the fact that our forces patrolled the line of communication for hundreds of miles, camps being stationed about ten miles apart, trains were almost daily delayed, and as a result men and horses could not bs supplied with full rations and forage. The Field Marshal, it is faid, held a lengthy conference with Lord Kitchener on the subject. The Chief of Staff is reported to liave suggested the adoption of very stern measures, and said that he would burn every house in the vicinity where damage had been done. Lord Roberts disapproves of the adoption of

such extreme measures, but intimated that as it would not be advisable to move the main column further south, some other stops would have to be.taken. After further consultation, it was decided that in districts where damage had been done to railway lines, bridges, culverts, or buildings, the principal residents would bo held responsible for the amount of damage dkwe. In addition to the payment of the damage done, a penalty of 2s 6d per morgen and upwards would be levied on each burgher on tho lands owned and occupied by him, and all receipts for goods requisitioned in such districts would be cancelled, and no payment made in re-, spect of the same. As a further precautiorKuy measure, the Director of Military Railways was authorised to order that one or more residents, to be selected by him from each district, should be compelled to accompany the trains while travelling through their districts. The houses and farms in the vicinity of the place where the damage was done was to be destroyed, and the residents in the neighbourhood dealt with under martial law. This decision, which was issued as a proclamation, had a wonderful effect upon the burghers. In many instances, it is stated, they went out of their way to prevent the incursion of those marauding bands of Boers, when under ordinary circumstances they would have remained at home smoking their pipes, caring nought for any damage <k»ne, and patiently waiting developments. They also gave information to the Military Governor of contemplated movements on the part of the Boers, and rendered the carrying on of the railway arrangements and the forwarding of supplies from point to point much easier, and fraught with much less danger than would have been the case had the proclamation not been issued. LORD ROBERTS AND THE SOLDIERS. I)irr i?3. " ilie mix i or . portion of the time Lord β-owrts had his headquarters at Pretoria, lie .paid a visit of inspection to several camps, frequently rode to the forts, and also visited the Bi%h range of hills to the north of tlile capital. He visited the Hospitals—including tie Boe:r hospital to the east of Pretoria—and took an active interest in the arranging of-tins interior of the Courts of Justice in Gfiurch square, now xised as an hospital, visiting each ward and making suggestions for improving the position of the cots ajkl adding to ttas comfort of the patients. It is this continual anxiety for the 'welfare of the so'idliers, eitiher on the field of battle or in hospital, that has endeared tihe FiaM Marshal to officers and men. Let mc relate a little incident detailed to mc j the other day: —Lord Roberts, on foot, was i passing through Ohairdh street, Pretoria, j when a fair-liairsd li'btle bay of about ten J years of age stopped and <to*ok off his hat. I The Field Marshal at ones saluted, and lialtj ing, asked , the lad (his name. The boy anj swered. and then noting that, like himself, ■ this little fallow war© a> band: of crape on j his arm, Lord Roberts asiked— i "Whom have you lost, any ]<ad?" j "Fatbetr, sir; he was killed at Platrand." ! "Poor boy! was he fighting for the I English?" i "No ; lue -was a burgher." J "Ah! 'well," answered the Field Marshal, \ ac he moved on, and patting the child on the ■ head, "Briton or Boer, iwe all have our i eOITOTVS." i THE HOrCHKISS BATTERY BROKEN I .. UP. i Yesterday I miet Captain Smith, of the ■ Hatchikiss Battery, and that officer informed !me that the> battery had fovsn broken up, ' and the men drafted , into the ranks of the : various Ndw Zealand Contingents, trans--1 formed into mounted; infantry. lam not surprised at this decision, for their horses have suffered severely in keeping the bat- [ tery up to the front, and in positions where effective work oould be performed. The general wa,s dissatisfied at the condition of the horses, and evidently thinics that the New Zealandlers can do better work as mounted infantry. The men are, I believe, well pleased at the .change, for little coni sideraition was shown them. Had the bati tery t> cen placed in charge of Captain Smith, ; nil would have h&zn well, so far as the men ! are concerned, but experience has proved that unsatisfactory results follow the advent of 'batteries'brought on to ths field for advertising .purposes, and. the New Zealand Hotchikiss Battery has proved; no exception to tbs general rule. It is tha opinion of almost every artillery officer with whom I have conversed, that tli/3 iba'ttery, as a representative colonial adjunct in the South African campaign, lias been an absolute . failure, and should , never have been placed in tha field wiiitli New Zealand's hall mark placed upon it. . Tie storing of the remaining tiwo guns at Pretoria —the other two guns have (been out of action since we left Kroonstad—prov-es tfaat the general commanding is of the same opinion. With this exception of Major Cartttew Yorston and Captain Smith, officers and men are now part and parcel of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles. Major Yorston will prob- '■ Qibly be attached as extra officer to one of the ba'ttEirles of the Royal Horse Artillery, ; and Captain. Smith, may also be similarly 1 placed. The captain could: have remained : "witli the New Zealand'ers, flout there are at j .present too many officers for the regiment, land Casptain Smith, wisely, I think, decided j to pfece ■himself unreservedly in 4he hands of headquarter staff. Major Daviee and Lieut. Mattbeiws have also teft the main body for the present, and i I understand tihat both are to be Traced on j Baden-Powell's staff. The major has been I endeavouring for some time to locate the Fourth New Zealand Contingent, over portions of which She Shas been placed in command. Lieut. Wall, who accompanied Lieut. ! Jbhnston to Kroonstad, has returned to Pretoria, aadi for ths} present has been detailed for work cut °the Pretoria .permanent artillery barracks. (Lieut. Pilkington, who is ! also in the New Zealand Permanent Artili lery, is still with tba New Zealand Mounted Rifles. ' • '• ■