Greymouth Evening Star, AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE, TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1901. THE BOER WAR.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 22 January 1901, Page 2

Greymouth Evening Star, AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE, TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1901. THE BOER WAR.

When General Eoberts left South Africa, it was generally believed that the war was over, and perhaps from one point of view—the invasion, capture and annexation of the two South African Eepublies—it was completed. The great battles and great loss of life are possibly over, but the conquest and establishment of peace and order appear very far off indeed. Apparently Be Wet and Steyn are now the leading spirits among the Boers who yet cling to the hope of being able to retain complete independence. Until the leaders are shot or captured, there appears to bo little chance of order being restored, and all this time has been lost owing to mistaken clemency. The guerilla war is being carried on to the discontent of loyalists. Cape files to hand contain many bitter references to the indecisive action of the British authorities in South Africa in the matter of the suppression of rebels. “It is time all attempts at conciliating the rebels in Cape Colony should be dropped,” writes a loyal colonist in a Capetown newspaper, “and the justice meted out to them which rebels deserve.” This is a note which finds an echo in every portion of the colony. The claims of the loyalists, who have been insulted, exasperated, and calumniated, have been ignored while the British have been conciliating rebels and train wreckers. The writer we have particularly quoted demands that the farce of conciliation shall bo put

an end to. He describes the injustice that is being done to the loyalists by this merciful method of dealing with traitors, and cries out for sterner measures. Particularly he refers to “Ons Land,” the organ of the Afrikander party, the publication of which has just recently been suppressed in the disaffected districts. He describes the slanders and calumnies spread broadcast amongst the farmers by this Dutch newspaper, and goes on to say that if such horrible accusations are believed—and they are religiously believed by those to whom they are narrated —in an enlightened and educated district, what can bo expected to result from their propagation amongst the back country farmers, whoso only chance of enlightenment comes from a seditious publication like “Ons Land,” and in a lesser degree from the unsigned perversions of truth in the “ South African News,” both of which are daily trying, and succeeding, in making mischief between the two races. It will be no fault of theirs if they do not succeed in prolonging bloodshed in the districts where fighting is still going on and in raising rebellion where there is now peace. Can nothing be done to stop their villainous slander ? Is there no imeans of bringing them to justice I and preventing further mischief ? When this has been done, and not until then, will be the time to preach and also practice conciliation. The writer goes on to express his surprise that in time of war and in a proclaimed district, such newspapers should be permitted to exist. It is, however, characteristic of the Briton that while engaged in actual fighting he will, from Quixotic ideas of liberty, allow traitors to remain with him and circulate falsehood and treason unmolested. Tis time that in this matter Britain took a leaf out of the books of other European nations, and not only silenced such productions but made an example of their authors. This c’emency in time of war is not only theoretically wrong, but in regard to the position in South Africa, is both cruel and unjust. Only by the adoption of severe measures is the ; present conflict going to be brought to a close, and the sooner such line of action is adopted the sooner will peace be proclaimed and the further useless sacrifice of human life stayed,