DELAGOA BAY RAILWAY REOPENED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11842, 20 December 1901, Page 5

DELAGOA BAY RAILWAY REOPENED.

(Received December 20, 12.30 a.m.) ■ London, December 19.

The Delagoa Bay railway has been reopened for civil traffic at rates prevailing prior to the war; also for the importation of natives for the mines.

A NEW ZEALANDER WOUNDED. (Received December 19, 10.52 p.m.) London, December 19.

Private A. Woodward, of the Sixth New Zealand Mounteds, 'has been severely wounded in the thigh at Drakfontein.

A NEW ZEALAND NURSE DECORATED. London, December 18. The King has decorated Nurse Williamson, a New Zealander, with the Royal Red Cross. TROOPER TASKER RELEASED. , London, December 18. Trooper Tasker has been released from Gasport Prison. THE COLONIES AND THE WAR. Ottawa,-December 18. The Montreal Star, replying to German criticisms, says that 18,000 Canadian's and Australians have gone to fight and die for the Imperial principle. The alacrity shown to furnish fresh contingents is a proof that the same spirit is still permeating the colonies. NON-INTERVENTION OF THE ■; POWERS. London, December 18. In the Belgian Chamber of Representatives M. Beernaart combated M. Yanderveldls proposal in favour of Belgian intervention in connection with the Boer concentration camps. The Swiss Government, replying to a similar interpellation, announced that it was determined to maintain strict neutrality.

PROPOSED AUSTRALIAN! CONTINGENT. _ Melbourne, December 19. In the Assembly Mr. Vale moved that the House regretted that the Federal Government had declined to ' offer the Imperial Government, unasked, the services of an Australian Contingent for South Africa. The Premier, whilst disapproving of the wording of the motion as conveying a censure on the Federal Government, spoko strongly in favour of the colonies assisting the Mother Country. At the last meeting of the Cabinet he had been instructed to open negotiations with the Premiers of others States and obtain an expression of opinion on the subject. He hoped that the Parliaments still sitting would' express similar views to the Victorian Assembly, and would show the Boers and those encouraging them that it was absolutely untrue the colonies regretted sending men .to assist the Empire. The motion, in an amended form, expressing the hope that the Federal Government would send a contingent, was carried. Brisbane, December 19. -

The Premier has received a.telegram from the Victorian Premier, stating that in the event of the Federal Government not taking steps to send a contingent, Victoria was prepared to take action. Mr. Philp is to telegraph to the New South Wales Premier suggesting that all the States should join in the movement. <$