THE TRANSVAAL WAR

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1536, 7 August 1901, Page 32

THE TRANSVAAL WAR

A WOUNDED NEW ZEALANDER

STATEMENT BY MR KRUG7R

A skirmish south of Aliwal North on the 14th ult. developed into an eighthours’ fight. Six hundred Boers under Commandant Foucke, posted on the surrounding hills, opened fire on a detachment of Connaught Rangers under Lieu-tenant.-Colonel Moore, which was escorting a convoy. The Rangers, who had one Maxim gun, did splendid work. Under a heavy fire they stormed a hill and outflanked the Boers, driving them into a donga, or gully, where Field-Cornet Oliviers was fatally wounded. [A brief account of this encounter was cabled from London on the 18th ult.] Trooper A. Small, of the New Zea*land Sixth Contingent, has been severely wounded. (Trooper Small was a farmer at Governor’s Bay, Christchurch). LONDON, August 5. Mr Kruger declared to a Paris “Figaro” interviewer that he would refuse to nego - tiate for peace unless on lines of an amnesty for Afrikanders, the complete and unlimited independence of the Transvaal, and the retention of the Boer flag. The “Standard” states that Mr Kruger cherishes the illusion that the coming meeting of the Emperor of Germany and the Czar will heir* the Boer cause.

A body of New Zealanders and Queenslanders, after three months’ trek, has reached Kroonstad, on the main line of railway north of Bloemfontein, having cleared th© surrounding districts and captured much stock. Colonel Stewart, of th© Johannesburg Rifles, by a night march surprised a laager at Amerspoort, capturing twentyone Boers and 350 cattle. Returning from th© attack the Rifles encountered 300 men belonging to Christian Botha’s and Smutts’s commandoes, who hovered in their vicinity sniping. LONDON, August 5. The War Office has withdrawn its interdict with reference to supplying news to the “Daily Mail.” Reuter’s correspondent states that two Boers with a flag of truce brought a letter from Mr Steyn to Kroonstad yesterday. Since th© beginning of th© war 6058 loyalists and refugees have been shipped home, 87,315 (regularly relieved, and 1t),458 provided with permanent labour.

Owing to the discovery of large quantities of mealies in Kaffir kraals forming regular sources of supply to the enemy, all Kaffirs will hereafter be brought to special refugee camps.

The Premier has received the following cablegram from Colonel Porter, commander of the Seventh Contingent, dated 3rd August:—“Everything well. Seventh behaving splendidly. Greatly praised by commanders. All wounded recovered or out of danger.” SYDNEY, August 5. Nin© hundred and fifty remounts have been shipped for South Africa.