THE WAR.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7364, 16 January 1902, Page 2

THE WAR.

HIDE AND SEEK.

BY DOUBLING, DE WET ELUDES PURSUIT.

Received January 16, 1.14 a.m.

London, January 35. Major-General Bruce Hamilton wires that he was marching when Colonel WiDg reported a large concentration of Boers on the very spot where ho bad encamped the previous night. He retraced his steps, but the Boers had unfortunately quitted, a roadside farm giving the alarm. On reaching Knapdaar they saw the enemy trekking three miles distant. Commandant-General Botha's Cape cart was a little beyond, and was chased for seven miles, when the British horses becamo exhausted. They saw four hundred Bo6rs. The British casualties were slight. Thirtythree Boers were captured. Captain Mueller, a German, commands De Wet's guns. De Wet, by doubling, eluded pursuit. His drivers are at Witkopjes, near Vrede, and a portion of his followers have been driven to the hills south of Heilbron.

KITCHENER PREPARING FOR A BIG EFFORT.

Received January 16, 9.26 a.m. London, January 15. Lord Kitchener has accumulated a vast number of remounts at Bloemfoutein in readiness for the arrival of reinforcements, and is preparing for a big effort to end the war. Wellington, January 15. Messrs Bannatyne and Co. have received cable advice that the troopship Surrey was to leave Sydney, at midnight.

Wellington, January 16. The departure of the North Island battalion of the Eighth Contingent from Wellington ha 3 been fixed for 5 p.m. on Saturday, 25th, at which hour the troopship Surrey sails for Auckland. Lieut. Harris, of Auckland, who received a commission in the Eighth Contingent, has resigned, being reported medically unfit for service.