THE ORANGE RIVER COLONY

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11553, 17 January 1901, Page 5

THE ORANGE RIVER COLONY

ENGAGEMENT NEAR LINDLEY.

A GALLANT DEFENCE.

London, January 15. Colonel White, on the 3rd, sent Captain Laing with. 150 of Kitchener's Bodyguard attached to General Knox's column toward Reitz. twenty miles east of Lindley, in Orange River Colony. While ascending a valley they encountered showers of explosive bullets from some kopjes six hundred yards on the right and left. The Boers numbered a thousand. The British retiring, and meeting five hundred Boers, galloped into a donga, and fought from cover desperately. Captain Laing was shot through, the heart. The enemy surrounded the small force, which maintained a . dogged resistance till the Boers threatened to kill the survivors. Lieut. Bateson pluckily galloped through the Boers, and informed Colonel White. Reinforcements were at once sent. They effectively shelled the enemy, who galloped away on their approach, killing 17 at one spot. A Kaffir led the Boers to the only entrance in the wire entanglements round Zuurfontein.

HOW THE BOERS ARE DECEIVED. London, January 16. A thousand Boer refugees have been detained in camps at Pretoria, Kroonstad, and Bhenosterspruit. They declare that they understood that Kruger was still in the Transvaal, while De Web was besieging Capetown, and that General Buller had been driven back in Natal. LOED ROBERTS AND THE WAR. London, January 15. Lord Roberts has indefinitely postponed the reception of the freedom of London owing to the present unhappy circumstances of the war. TIME-EXPIRED TROOPS IN INDIA. London, January 15. Fifteen thousand time-expired British soldiers have been detained in India owing to the suspension of reliefs due to the South African War.

AN INVITATION TO KRUGER. \ .London,: January 16. " Mr. Mulholland, an American? millionaire, has invited Kruger to visit I and lecture in America. ' SURGEON GODFREY. London, January 16. Surgeon Godfrey, of the New Zealand Mounted Infantry, has returned to duty.' DESTITUTE FOREIGNERS. London, January 15. Many destitute foreigners from the Transvaal are appealing to the Durban, Natal, police for food and shelter. ' ";;... Their respective Consuls decline to help them. ' , ■~ ENLISTMENT OF YEOMANRY. London, January 16. The War Office is enlisting 5000 Yeomanry for a year or the duration of the war. v THE AUSTRALIAN CONTINGENT. Sydney, January 16. There are fifteen hundred applications for the new contingent for the Cape. ~'„' ' Captain Cox, who has just returned by the Orient, has offered his services. The Victorian force will consist of 504 officers and men. Colonel Price, of Melbourne, has again offered his services for South Africa. The South Australian Contingent will comprise 240 officers and men. •■■■•.- Melbourne, January 16. Sir A. Milner has cabled that the Orient will convey the Victorian contingent to South Africa. THE SCOTTISH HORSE. Melbourne, January 16. . ; The Government has cabled that a hundred young meu have offered to join the Marquis of Tullibardine's Scotch Horse. The Government take no responsibility in the matter, beyond undertaking a medical examination. A WOUNDED NEW ZEALANDER, [BY TELEGRAPH.PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Wednesday. Sir A. Milner has cabled to the acting Premier that Lieutenant Keddell, of the Fourth Contingent, was wounded on the left arm at Ventersdorp, a few days ago. The wound is not dangerous. RETURNED TROOPERS. [BY telegraph. —PßESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Wednesday. Amongst the passengers by the Moana today from Sydney were Sergeant Lestrange, Corporal Shepherd, and Irooper Smythe, of the First Contingent, who came over to return to the front with the Sixth Contingent. Corporal Jones, of the Second Contingent, • also returned invalided.

THE TROOPERS BY THE ORIENT. [BY TELEGRAPH.PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Wednesday. Through the Deputy-Governor, the Act-ing-Premier has cabled to the Admiral of the Australian station, asking whether H.M.s. Mildura, now at Akaroa, can be at Port Chalmers when the Orient reaches there with the New Zealand returning troopers.