NEW WAR VOTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11879, 3 February 1902, Page 5

NEW WAR VOTE.

DECREASE OF EXPENDITURE. STATEMENT BY MR. BRODRICK. (Received February 2, 5.22 p.m.) London, February 1. In a thin House Supply was carried by 159 to 56. A supplementary five millions for the war was voted. Mr. Brodrick explained that the monthly expenses had fallen by a million. The new meat contract, owing to the more settled condition of South Africa, affording greater facilities for distribution, gave meat at 3id per lb cheaper, representing a saving in 1902 of between £600,000 and £700,000. Lord Kitchener expected a saving of 30 per cent, in local supplies. The Cape, in attaining control of its owh forces, saved Great "Britain a quarter of a million monthly. The blockhouses had hampered the Boers, enhancing the prospect of Lord Kitchener bringing to action the three chief groups of commandos. The criticisms by the members were chiefly directed to the subject of remounts. ~ Sir 11. Campbell-Bannerman praised the- action of the troops in the field. Mr. Brodrick announced that there were 237,800 in the field on January 1. STORING SUPPLIES. (Received February 2, 4.57 p.m.) London, February 1. Commandant Maritz is storing great quantities of supplies in Bushmansland, a dry, waterless country, north-west of Cape Colony, full of military obstacles. REINFORCEMENTS. London, January 31. Nine militia battalions are being embodied for service in South Africa. 1 Lord Roberts has inspected 6000 reinforcements leaving Aldershot for South Africa. GOVERNMENT OF THE TRANSVAAL.

London, January 31. Mr. Chamberlain, speaking in the House of Commons, said that a Legislative Council would be appointed in the Transvaal when practicable, according to the state of the country and the progress of military operations. PAYMENT OF COMMISSION. London, January 31. Mr. St. John Brodrick, Secretary of State .for War, in the House of Commons, said that New South Wales alone raised the question of disbursements, but the decision to pay a commission applied to all the colonies, and the Premiers have been so informed. (Received February 2, 5.5 p.m.) London, February 1. The Westminster Gazette says that the precedent for the exaction of commission by the colonies is very slender, and that in all probability the colonies would not have thought worse of Britain if the Government had refused to pay. COMMONWEALTH CONTINGENT. Sydney, February 1. The troopships Manchester Merchant and St. Andrew have arrived, and the Custodian and Antillan are expected ,in a few days to convey the Commonwealth Contingent to the Cape. SYDNEY ANTI-WAR LEAGUE. Sydney, February 1. The Anti-War League forwarded a petition to the Political Labour Conference requesting them to sign it, but the conference by one vote declined. THE MANA OP ENGLAND. [»Y TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Napier, Saturday. At the Te Ante Students' Annual Conference, now in session at Te Ante, a resolution was passed condemning the attacks made oil England by the foreign press, and expressing the willingness of the Young Maori party to maintain at all hazards the mart a of England.

NEWS OF THE SIXTH CONTINGENT. On Saturday last- the Premier received from Major Andrews the following cablegram, concerning the Sixth New Zealand Contingent in South Africa : —"Sixth doing well, and the few men reported dangerously ill are all cases of enteric fever. There is no cause for alarm, as all enteric cases are reported 'dangerous.' The health of the regiment has been remarkably good so far. We have still 420 men in the field." Mr. Pilcher also cabled to the Premier as follows: — There is no improvement in No. 3625' (Sergeant Moore) -sovidition." A CAPTURE BY COLONEL DU MOULIN. A despatch from Pretoria of' December 26, describes a capture by Colonel Du Moulin, an Aucklander, of whose death in action we have since heard: —At dawn on the 24th iiist., Colonel Du Moulin surprised a Boer laager near Jagersfontein, Orange River Colony, capturing 28 prisoners, including Field-Cornets Du Toifc and Saul Sarines; also 58 rifles, 2000 rounds of small-arms ammunition, and 10.5 horses. The prisoners belong to various commandos.