LATE WAR NEWS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1509, 31 January 1901, Page 32

LATE WAR NEWS

EOER INVADERS IN CAPE

COLONY.

MOVEMENTS OF THE ENEMY.

LONDON, January 25. The western commando of the Boer invading force, alter occupying Van Rhynsdorp, forty miles from the coast and 140 miles north of' Capetown, divided. part moving south to Doom River and the rest marching north-east to Be Drift and Branclvlei. The eastern commando is marching to Oudtshoorn and southwards. The British are occupying the Zwartsberg Passes and Oudtshoorn strongly. Under pressure .from Lord Methuen’s column, portion of a Boer commando has re-entered the Transvaal. The Calvinia commandoes southward of Maro, have been checked, and Major General Settle, w mr-Generals Pe Lisle, Thorneycroffc amdßetliune, are engaged in an enveloping movement. Australians .are patrolling towards Lambert.

The Bloemfontein correspondent <f ‘“The Times” says that however acute the national bereavement may be. Jbe predominant feeling is that every effort must now, more 4 han ever, be made to bring the war to a speedy conclusion. General Christian De Wet is between Wintmrg and Ladybrandj in the east of Orange Rival 1 Colony. The War Office has ordered 25,000 tens of New Zealand oats in ten daysLONDON January 25. A patrol of twenty-five policy has been ■captured at Marrisberg by a greatly su_ peffior force. LONDON, January 26. Lord Kdchener says the raiders in Cape Colony have done little harm. They are daily becoming more unpopular, and are not being joined by the inhabitants. Messrs Casper and Jacobus, the latter member of the Cape Assembly for Jasenville, have been arrested on a charge of aiding the Boers. Colonel Cunningham, moving southward from Olivant’s Nek, captured seventeen Boers, and engaged General De_La Key’s commando at Middlefontein. General Knox attacked Haasbroeck’s laager, and captured a field comet, fpur prisoners and twenty horses. LONDON. January 27.

On Wednesday last Lord Kitchener and a number of troops preceeded eastward from Pretoria by rail in tlie direction of Middle'llurg, preceded by a pilot engine, ,which was derailed by dynamite near Balmoral. When the train containing the troops arrived a number of Boers opened fire, but were repulsed with l loss. There were no British casualties.

The Boors at Slypklip, twenty miles north of Kimberley, captured a train with cattle and provisions from Kimberley.

The British sent an armoured train with 200 infantry in pursuit. Boer commandoes boast that since their women and children are provided for they have now no cares, and will continue to fight , with determination.

- There are now 13,135 Boer prisoners quartered at St. Helena. SYDNEY, January 29. Lieutenant-Colonel Francis and Major Madocks are passengers by the Westralia, which sailed for New Zealand on Saturday.

, , , MELBOURNE, January 28. The members of the Second Grenadier Guards, with the Imperial Contingent, have been instructed tto proceed to South Africa, and leave about February 11th, with the Fifth Contingent, CASUALTIES AMONGST NEW ZEALANDERS. The Acting-Premier (Hon J. G. Ward! has been advised bv Sir Alfred M : !rvr that No. 379, Private A. G. Earle, of Riversdale, Southland (Second Contingent), was killed at Bronkhorst Spruit on January 21st. No. 2629; Private J. M F. Murphy (Canterbury section of the Fifth Contingent) died of enteric fe ?or at Kimberley on January 22nd. No 2' 7 3-l, Private J'. P. Roberts (Fifth Contingent), and No. 2220, Private F. Baker (Wellington, Nelson and West Coast section of the same contingents), are dangerously ill—the former at Pretoria, and the latter at Buluwavo

His Excellency the Governor has received the following cablegram from, ihe General Officer Commanding Communications, dated Capetown, January 27 ih ;

—“Nineveh left Capetown January 2 Oh, having on board for New Zealand ( attain E. Bartlett, Surgeon-Captain V v_. Gcdfray, and' two men of the New Zealand contingents. These troops Tranship at Melbourne.”