HEADWAY ON RAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18040, 15 March 1922, Page 7

HEADWAY ON RAND.

PJBELS RINGED,

LARGE AREAS CLEARED,

OCBCLEMENT COMPLETE.

BBCRriTING STOPPED.

STATE FORCES ADEQUATE.

_, Tel»jr*r>b—Press Association—Copyright.

(Received 9.10 p.m.) CAPETOWN. March 14. It is officially declared that all sectors f the Rand, except the central area and tie environs of Johannesburg, can bo re«rded as cleared up. Recruiting has bear stoppedD official communique states:—ln (he central area of the Rand our aeroplane* observed great activity at Fordstaff, The police who were relieved yesjjrday captured 24 prisoners and arms ind caused the enemy several casualties. Police examined the three aeroplanes that «re disabled on the Mulderdrift Road, m i found one destroyed by fire and tho (■there slightly damaged. They found the police station at Newlands destroyed and! t number of wounded revolutionaries in the Newlands Hospital. From information! received from natives it is clear that in ■ v«terday's bombing raid many revolutionaries were killed, and two of their leaders seriously wounded. An inspector of police and 86 policemen who were captured were taken out during the night Jo Yogelsfontein and released. The Relief of Braipan. In the Eastern area the garrisons at I/iiet and Benoni are busy sorting out prisoners. Over 4000 persons have been dealt with. These include a considerable, camber of individuals who could bej trusted not to be revolutionaries, having been held in the town against their will. General Van Doventer has relieved the firrisons at Brakpan power station and police station. The men at the latter place showed particular gallantry in holding cut without water or food for three days and with their defences riddled by mipfrs. In the Western Rand area Colonel Nussey, with the leading troops of the force under his command, has reached Maraisburg. There was some tniping from kopjes north of the railway, and Colonel Nussey is working to clear his position. His dismounted men are still at Florida. Later, Colonel Nussey reached Newlands. A number of revolutionaries were observed among the kopjes ahead o{ him. He came into touch at this point with a squadron of South African Mounted Rifles, the extreme left wing of the forces J under General Bebes. Another portion of this force has junctioned with the Dur»,' ban Light Infantry in the vicinity of i Teewclare station. E v Pretoria Railway Secure. j In the Pretoria-Germiston railway area 8 General Van Dewalt's force has pushed E out several miles to the east and west of Rietfontein station. The high ground on both sides of the railway is now held by this force. Everything is quiet in lhis| sector, and a junction has been effected | with General Van Deventer's force.

General co-operation o{ our aeroplanes and forces has markedly improved, thus facilitating operations. Wherever thera is 3 large gathering of foe enemy in the vicinity of our troops" red lights are fired by aeroplanes, and they are dispersed. Tke encircling movement of the Government forces is now complete, and the situation is well in hand, the Eastern and Western and Pretoria-Germiston areas being to all intents and purposes out of reckwring, so that not only has recruiting stopped but considerable forces are available as reserves. A certain portion of the central area still requires to be cleared op.