LATE CRISIS IN AFRICA.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 14 March 1914, Page 9

LATE CRISIS IN AFRICA.

A NEW ZEALAND WOMAN'S VIEWS.

The following has been forwarded I>o us for publication: Dear Sybil,—To you who have never perhaps., visited Africa, and even to those who are here to-day, but who have until this time had no opportunity of seeing a lioer commando, it may often have been a matter of some surprise that the late Boer war should have extended over the period of time [ that elapsed from the initial step to its conclusion. Some have considered that the splendid shelter afforded by the kopjes iiaci I much to do with its protraction, and ! no doubt those fortifications cast up by nature and taken advantage of by the children of the veldt made it a most difficult matter for the British forces to make anything like a rapid progress into the country they were determined to subdue by force of arms. The roads were mere tracks in most cases across the veldt, and these were watched and guarded from behind the kopjes by a guerilla soldiery, but even with all these drawbacks considered in conjunction with the terrific storms which are an almost daily occurrence, these would offer but an insufficient explanation of the duration of the war. For, as a set-off against these very serious disadvantages, it mxist not be forgotten that our troons were trained soldiers, fully equipped with, the most modern. machines of warfare, pitted against a Tough mob of untrained veldt settlers—good shots, it is true —but whose firearms, were many of them old match and flintlock guns; but the crisis through which this country is passing at the present moment —the strike—has shown us Britishers the probable solution -of the problem., v and offered an object lesson at one and the same time > and I should like to draw the attention of eoaie who have caet the shir- of inoompetency upon the memory of a brave general to what follows. When the present strike took place fresh in the memory of all was the destruction of property and the violence which was a menace to life, both feature® of the last strike. New Zealand passing through a labor trouble had shown us how the farming interests could be brought to" support the 6ide of law and order, and probably suggested to General Botha that what had proved a success in one country ; could be tried in another, so the commandos were called out, as you are by this time aware. How the call was responded to you also know. Some 60,000 mobilising in the short- \ est time off'YewSrd, come three days, probably in the shortest time that ever will be recorded under similar circumstances, from farm on veldt, from lonely homesteads far beyond the distant horizon line of the veldt, out of touch with telephone or telegraph communication, came those rugged veterans of the war time, accompanied by their sons and grandsons, we.who have seen them for the first time, and for the last maybe, will try to give you some faint reflection of the impression made on our memories. They are there, these children of the veldt, tall for the most part, sinewy, dark, many with the heritage of a colored race in their veins, others dark from exposure to many a hot day's wind and dust, unwashed, unshaven, few with clean-looking 6kins, the du6t of the veldt and mine damp clinging to hair and clothing, the last of a nondescript character,—The- big-slouch hate under which the brown 6harp eyes peered at you 6U6piciously had 6een so many suns, their, original color might be guessed at but not sworn to, the shirts —few wore coats—were thin j and Door-looking, the color long since left in "Tant's" w«sh-tub. The nether garments were old tweeds in most j cases though a few wore khaki riding , breeches, all old, badly fitting, and dirty They had the Government bandoleers slung, over their right shoulders, their leather belts, rifies,! and water bottles were all as they should,be, being British property, but in addition, close to their saddles vx front, ready for use, was slung a, huge strip of biltong (eundried bullock flesh). This important factor in tneir hurried marches*must not be overlooked; with j such nourishment requiring no coot- , me, the need of a fire with its at- j tendant tell-smoke could be dispensed with. They had simply to sever a pie-e of biltong with the sharp knives they always carry with them place it in their mouths, and chew all the nourishment it contained out of it. One might think it difficult of digestion but they seem to thrive on it. , While thus dining there was no neces- j sHy for them to dismount from the , email Basuto ponies they rode, or even I lessen the e?eed at whi ? h they ramdly ; covered the greatest distance. im-s the% wasno need for delay save to rS man and beast, and no useless , impedimenta to carry in the .shape of ■ a fig co-nmissariat to retard.their procrreca On a forced march the biltong eunolied all the food they required or Sei These ™i* v dete^ned men were unaccustomed to the barest luxury in their own homes, which they use at home, and tie biltong was thefr SLI food. Small wonder tot w«r '? and whose very clothing lent itX the etones'and scant vegetation of ,tb^ ell are on this, side of the koniee now realise the immense diffii cSItS with which our brave men had SJoire that will never again be filled where they with hundreds of their brave comrades rest for _.miiw, r."r mites along the railway line; tetter Saps that long sleep before midXy than life under the circumstances that come of their comrade* have had to endure, their spirit. <* P**™*""} quenched, refused work m the different department* of Government that the Boers may take their place. They have lived to regret -that they ever joined a contingent, and to ask themselves what their comrades died tor. To live in this .country^one;, without a stretch of imagination, could fancy themselves back » Kiucer'e ieign. It

is about time that British influence was brought to bear in this colony. One does not observe it at the present time; with our starving British it is fast lapsing into a Dutch colony. Retrenchment has been used to this end; after a time vacancies have gradually been filled by the retrenched British. Go into all the Government offices; thpv are filled in most instances with! Duceh. who are not nearly so competent as the poor Britisher they have supplanted. 1 hear that 5000 of our picked men have booked their passages for other countries, disgusted with the> manner in which the British are being treated. They ask, Is not ingratitude shown for all their noble, disinterested conduct in leaving good nositions and risking life to support "the British Jag.' Has it ever yet been recorded in the history of the world that a people subjugated after terribla loss or lire and expense to a nation who* was provoked to fight by gross injustice offered to her subjects, should at the conclusion of the war (in which it was victorious) place the reins of government in tiie hands of the subdued to treat their victors as they chose. Is such a state of things not likely to lead to a civil war? In conclusion, while congratulating ourselves on our reserve force at the command of the Government, it will be well to remember that not many years have passed 6ince we compelled the Boers to lay down arms that have, been restored to them to-day in the shape of superior weapons, together with ammunition and equinments. With these they are to be ready to respond to the call "to arms" on the shortest notice. We have drilled and taught their boys and youths to shoot, and they will be a formidable foe far more so now than formerly, and we are all aware that the racial feeliim is far from dead.. The skirmish the Boers had at Germiston is aproof... On that; occasion innocent, women and children; were jostled in the street® and fledfrom their homes for safety. It is true the commandant apologised afterwards* but it has left an impFession we would do well to remember, "for we -are not wanted here/ we have been plainly 6hown this, and we would like to"know on whose side these men. would fight when called out by. the commandos.. Ts it not rather soon to supply them with arms? Time will show; meantime the British are becoming a minority in South Africa. It is better to leave than starve and have the Boers laughing at us, and thinking: that the British lion is asleep or in its I dotace. If there be another war here I for our rights I don't think &vy more contingents from overseas would volunteer to take the place of those asleepon the veldt or are left to starve in our streets as a reward for patriotism in time of need. As I wrote this a gentlemnn who is leaving after many years of residence came into see us. "The British are gradually baincr eliminatAd," he remarked. What cannot be done at the. point of the' sword can be effected by strategy.. The Boers were ever strategists'. ARAMINTA.