THE WAR.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7397, 25 February 1902, Page 2

THE WAR.

SURPRISE OF TRICHARDT'S LAAGERS. A SKIRMISH AT BEAUFORT WEST. AFRICANDER BOND MEETING. Received February 24, 10.13 p.m. London, February 24. Details of the capture of 154 Boers show that Colonels Parks', Williams', and Urmsto.n's forces 'surprised three of | Trichardt's laagers, but tbe members of tbe Boer government and JacU Hindon, train wrecker, escaped. Twenty of Trichardt's force surrendered. Commandant; Ross, with 300 Boers, atiacked the Frankfort-Vrede blockhouse line on tbe night of the 19th, the Boers on the south opening a heavy fire on the blockhouse at 120 yards. Ross drove a herd of cattle against the wire fence. Many Boers traversed northwards, several being shot. The Free Stacers propose to cross the Vaal so as to avoid the Orange blockhouses. A skirmish took place westward of Beaufort West on the 18th, when the notorious rebel Van Harden and Commandant Judge Hugo were wounded and captured. Hugo has succumbed to his injuries. Colonel John Hay, U.S. Secretary of State, has refused to ask for passports from tbe British authorities to enable Dr Thomas, of Chicago, and his wife to distribute moneys at the concentration camps in South Africa. Vanderneve, son of an Afrikander Bond member, has been sentenced to five years for joining the Boers. Received February 25, 0 47 a.m. London, February 24. A hundred men of a volunteer composite regiment surrounded four Boers in a farmhouse at Vrybeid. Colonel Evans approached the door and demanded a surrender, but the Boers fired, killing him and Major Blunt, and wounding a third. Three Boers were captured, the fourth escaped. At an Afrikander meeting at Grafreinet, including the Hon. Maasdorp, many Bond members protested against the slanders, and passed a vote of confidence in Mr Chamberlain, Lord Milner, and Lord Kitchener. Similar meetings were held at Middleburg and Aliwal North. t Whllington, February 24. The Governor has received a cablegram from tbe Casualty Department at Cape Town stating that 3665 B Stephens, of the Sixth New Zealand Mounted Infantry, died of enteric at Charleston, on the 19th instant ; 4528 J. H. Waight, of tbe Seventh New Zealand Mounted Infantry, died of enteric at Heilbron. J Advice was received to-night that the i Surrey and Cornwall left Albany at daylight this morning for Durban. REBELS SENTENCED TO DEATH. THE FATE OF KRUITZINGEB. Received February 25, 9,14 a.m. London, February 24. Sentences of death have been passed on Murraysburg farmers for joining the enemy. Two Graafreinet rebels, for marauding, have been committed to penal servitude for life. Loyalist members at the Cape are asking for an Imperial Indemnity Act and other measures necessary for the peace of the country. A small meeting of the Peace Arbitration Associations authorised Messrs F. A. Charming, T. Shaw, and H. Wilson, Commoners, to petition King Edward in the interests of peace in South Africa, and the saving of the life of Com' mandant Kruitzinger if sentenced to death. BOERS HARVESTING THE CROPS. BRITISH TROOPS INSUFFICIENT. Received February 25, 9.17 a.m. London, February 25. Chris Botha and Britz, with 800 men, are south of Branwkop. Tbe Boers hold undisputed possession of tbe country north of the Delagoa line, and are harvesting all the crops. The Times says the British troops are insufficient to deal with the whole country and suppress the enemy.