THE BOER NATIONAL SCOUTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11854, 4 January 1902, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE BOER NATIONAL SCOUTS.

Whiting on November 23, the Pretoria correspondent of the Cape Times says: — : A movement which was set afoot some little time since among the surrendered Boers for the purpose of assisting in bringing the resistance of the irreconcilabiss to an end has taken practical shape, and is being organised on a large scale. Among the more influential of those who surrendered prior to September 15 last are'several who' have come forward voluntarily and offered to secure a corps of their .own people, for the purpose of taking the field. The offer has been accepted alter a good deal of consideration; and the result is an established corps called the National Scouts, who have already enrolled in such numbers that their services will help m no small degree towards bringing the present state of affairs to an end. . The idea of employing men to serve against their own kith and kin is one that under most circumstances : would be repugnant to all ethics that pertain to the bearing of members of a race to each other. But the argu- ; merits which the surrendered burghers are using in justification of the step they are taking are strong ones. They maintain that as those still in the field are only: a small minority of the whole people, and as the majority are long convinced of the utter hopelessness of any further resistance, and, moreover, as it is the great majority who are > being: made to : suffer by. the conduct of the minority, being kept from returning to their peaceful ■. occupations, with nothing but' ruin staring them in the face, their wives and children living like exiles and on charity, in their own country, all because a few obstinate ', men refuse to see the inevitable, then it is time that they also should do '. something towards ending this misery and ruin being brought upon them by their misguided countrymen. The question to them .is i a humanitarian one. As an independent race their day is done. They fought '■■ as long 'as there, was the slightest hope to fight for. At last they recognised total defeat and desire to live peaceably under the new order, and save what they can out of the wreck of their possessions ;' but above all they are acting for the sake of their wives and little ones, who are now the greatest sufferers. A certain minority seems determined to seek not only its own self-destruction, but to jeopardise the highest interests of the whole race in its mad resistance. . The people constituting this minority have simply become outlaws against society, and the leaders of. this movement urge that it is as much their duty to assist in subduing their misguided countrymen as it would be the duty of an Englishman ■': to." assist in ■; maintaining law and order in ordinary times in his own country. The Boers who are forming the National Scouts refused to be classed as traitors or as unpatriotic, but; justify themselves on the ground of the interests of the greater number,; for the sake of common humanity, and in the name of ordinary common sense. They are brave men who are taking this step, brave because of all the consequences they are prepared to face, and brave because their courage has been proved in many a ; hard-fought field against the English. Commandant Celliers, the chief leader, . had the reputation of being a fearless man in a fight long before this war broke out—-a reputation he has maintained right through• to his surrender. 'Not so many months: ago, when lying wounded, he expressed his disgust at the methods ito which his countrymen had degenerated, and expressed his intention of surrendering, ; and defied anyone to touch him when threatened with death by the Boers if he did not ; come with them. ■ . : Another prominent leader of the National Scouts ;is Andreas Crouje, ' own -.; brother to the "redoubtable Piet, who resisted at Paardeberg ' until all hop" was gone. These men, and others with them, are all typical Boers, and who know .the wishes- and, desires of their countrymen, and in taking the step they have done only represent the very general-feel-ing of the majority, : and this being the case, it '. may be confidently ;• expected that the ; formation of '. a corps like the i National Scouts will exercise an, active as , well as a great moral influence in bringing resistance to'an end.

' " May. I bring homo 1 a box of custard :as well as the Sunshine Jelly Crystals?" \ "Yes," she said; "I'm so glad you remembered it; get two Jelly Crystals as a reward;, don't forgot Tucker's."- , ' ■'''■■ ■' ;'