THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12533, 21 June 1901, Page 5

THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA.

INCREASING BRITISH ACTIVITY. FRESH PURCHASES OF •HORSES. ADDITIONAL REINFORCEMENTS. . THE CAPE INVASION. United Press Association—By Eleotrio Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, June 19. Tho War Office has resumed purchasing horses in America. Eight transports are loading at New Orleans. THE INVASION OF CAPE COLONY. AN IMPUDENT THREAT. \ • CAPTURE OF STOCK BY THE BRITISH. FOR bOUTH AFRICA. LONDON, June 19. Commandant Kruitzinger, who is ab Kleinfontedn, threatens to commandeer ail persons giving information to the British. He states that iie'does this in virtue of tha proclamation annexing the northern portion of Cape vJolony to the late Orange Free State ab the beginning of -the war. ColoneL Scott's railway guards, at Haartebeestepan, in the Western Transvaal, captured much stock, two waggons and a quantity of rifles and ammunition. , Sergeant-Major, Eyre, of the Fifth New Zealand Contingent, has been granted a commission in the Imperial Yeomanry. The troopship Bavaria 'has sailed for South Africa with 850 men of the Manchester Regiment and 600 of the South Staffordshire Militia. A BOER COMMANDANT AND THE IRRECONCILABLES.' LONDON, June 20. The Boers sentenced Commandant Piet Fourie to death for attempting to surrender. De Wet commuted the sentence to imprisonment , A PRO-BOER ; GATHERING. A "PACKED" MEETING. LONDON, June 20. Three thousand were admitted by ticket to a pro-Boer meeting ab the Queen's Hall. Eight hundred foreigners, market porters and Battersea workers were engaged to keep out. opponents. A large force of police assisted to -prevent efforts ito rush the hall. Mr Labouchere presided. He referred to Lord Milner as a "wretched penny-a-liner," and said that the British soldiers were lions led by geese. Mr Merriman was absent,' as he was- indisposed. Messrs tSauer, Lloyd George, Clifford, Dillon and Keir Hardie denounced the war. Kruger and De Wet were cheered, and Mr Chamberlain was hissed. Dissenters were instantly ejected. A crowd outside, estimated at ten thousand, tried to gain admission, and sang patriotic songs until rain dispersed them. Some collisions with pro-Boers occurred, the latter being hustled and bonineted. THE DISASTER TO THE VICTORIANS. (Received June 21, 12.41 a.m.) LONDON, June 20. The " Standard's "■ correspondent ' says that 150 Boers, under Commandant Muller, with 200 reserves, surrounded the Victorians, poured in a heavy fire, and then rushed the camp. The affair was over in a few minutes. Commandant Mulrea also led the rush at Helvetia when Viljoen attacked. RETURNING CONTINGENTS. NEW ZEALAND LOSSES. A CLEARING MOVEMENT. (Received June 21, 12.55 a.m.) LONDON, June 20. The Tagus sailed from Cape Town on June 13 with the Fourth and Fifth New Zealand also Lieutenant T. F. Lundon, of the Second Contingent. The transport is due at Wellington on July 5. Private J. M. Gotten was killed, Private D. (M'Auley severely wounded, and Private J. H. Templeton slightly wounded at Hemelfontein. Private Jesse W. Smith was slightly wounded at Reitfontein. All belong to the New Zealand forces. Five columns have commenced clearing the area bounded by Bloemfontein, Brandfort, the' Vet River, Winburg and Thabanohu. Large captures of stock and grain have been made. ALD3EL ON A CONTINGENT, ADELAIDE, June 20. Mr Chandler, editor of the "Free Lance," has been sentenced to sir months' imprisonment and fined £SO for.a libel contained in an article reflecting on the morality of the Fifth Contingent while in camp here. RETURNED TROOPS. [Pee Press Association-.] WELLINGTON, June 20. The following New Zealanders returned by the Westraha last night:—Second Contingent—Corporal Thompson (Christchurch) and Private W. H. White; Fourth Contingent Corporal Woof (Talcapau), and Privates Clarke (Milton), White (Hampden), Hart (Dakfleld), Paton (Dargavilie), Robinson (Mangere), K. Ross (Opotiki), and Tanner (Tauranga); Fifth Contingent—Privates Aitken (Invercargill), W. S. Mackintosh (Invercargill), M'Kechnie (Waikaia), Monk (Dunedin), M'Donald (Feilding), W. J. Browne (Stratford), and Lister (New Plymouth). Miller, a veterinary surgeon, of Auckland, a member of the Imperial Light Horse, also returned. He was badly injured in the back through his horse being shot and rolling over him. [Pee Press Association.] WELLINGTON, June 20. The Premier has been advised that, during the recent fighting by tho Seventh Contingent, Sergeant Cotter was killed, and Privates 'M'Auley, Templeton and Hulme, (Wellington) were wounded. v