The Lyttelton Times. MONDAY, MARCH 26, 1900.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CIII, Issue 12160, 26 March 1900, Page 4

The Lyttelton Times. MONDAY, MARCH 26, 1900.

I The Free Staters are surrendering many inj ferior weapons. An iiupros. ic:i cxisis that • they are concealing their Mausers. The Cape i rebels are disarming slowly. It is believed that I they are hiding r.iik-s. ! Many arrets arc be in-; mude, and trials of ' suspected rebels arc proccEair.g at Ladysmith. : Tho Transvaal and Free ota-te prisoners have. j been separated at Capetown, owing to qua-r-I rels. I The " Times " states that Colonel Plurner, ! after the reconnaissance at Ramathlabama, retired during the nigb-t to Crocodile Pools. His base hospital has b?:cn removed to Gabero-nes. Further cases of plague are reported from Sydney. The w'&ole of tho proclaimed plague area has been closed xo the public. Barricades will bo erected. The supply of i=erum is fast becoming exhausted. Ten*thousand doses from India- ar c expected in about three weeks. Efforts i'^- e being made to obtain some from Pas-teur'-s Institute in Paris. A start is being m'xdo to manufacture- scrum locally, but- it- will 'Ake months to produce. y Tho Archbishop of Sydney has issued a'i special prayer for deliverance from the plague, i to be read in the Anglican churches. For tho Oxford and Cambridge boat race Oxford did a poor trial, and Cambridge are strong favourites. Twenty thousand Arsenal employees sang the National Anthem during the Queen's visit to Woolwich. Pretoria is preparing for a two years' siege. The Boer woman demand that the British prisoners, should be shot. Lord . Methuen has secured an important crossing east of Fourteen. Streams. A new punt is ja readiness. P.einforcenients are being hurried forward, with a view to crossing and out- | flanking t-lw Boers. | There aro indications that Mafeking can hold lj out throe we-ek-s. The Knight Templar's New Zealand Contingent has been sent to Capetown, and will join Sir Frederick Carrington's new force for the protection of Rhodesia. The Boers in Natal have sent their women and children to the Trai-.-svaal. Deserters report that they intend to retreat with their guns I and stores via Laing's Nek.

It has been decided to include the families of colonial officers m the fund being raised for the relief of officers' families. The Duchess of York ha.s been appointed president of the committee to control the New Zealand portion of tho fund. The Fourth Contingent from New Zealand for South Africa left Dunedin on Saturday. A great crowd assembled at the southern city, and the proceedings were very enthusiastic.