TRANSVAAL WAR

New Zealand Mail, 22 January 1902, Page 32

TRANSVAAL WAR

GALLANT NEW ZEALANDERS. LONDON, January 18. Tiio Boers surprised a British post at Willowdam, ■west of Mafeking, and shot tho tvifo of an officer ■who was standing in the entrance of a tent. Out of 17,088 men, 42,905 women and 56,424 children in the Boer concentration camps during December, 100 men, 453 women and 1767 children died. Owing to General Botha’s complaints as to the treatment of women and children in the concentration camps, Lord Kitchener in December volunteered to allow thoso who were willing to return to the Boers. He inquired where General Botha desired them to be sent, but no reply was received. Lord Kitchener also offered tho Boer leaders safe conduct to inspect the camps. Reuter’s agency states that Dr von Knyper, the Netherlands Premier, after ascertaining the terms on which the Boer delegates were willing to negotiate peace, visited London privately to ascertain if Lord Salisbury genuinely desired peace.

In answer to a question in the House of Lords, Lord Salisbury stated that he was not aware of Dr von Knyper having made overtures.

Lord Kitchener’s despatches of December Bth mention Lieutenant G. D. Shorn for gallantry in attacking a laager at Pongolabosch, and for good services : also Sergeant J. Davidson and Lance-Corporal W. Rutherford for bringing in wounded under heavy fire. All belong to the Seventh New Zealanders.

Sergeant J. Walker, of the Fourth New Zealanders, is mentioned for capturing, unaided, three armed Boers in a farm at Standerton. A number of Australians are also mentioned.

The Government declines to publish the heliograms which passed between Sir Redvers Duller and Sir George W bite whilst the latter was besieged at Ladysmith.

In connection with the trial of Dr Krause, formerly of Johannesburg, on charges of inciting to murder. Lord Chief Justice Alverstone decided that inasmuch as it had not been proved that Krause’s letters had not reached Brockraa the charge of inciting to murder Air Forster was not maintainable. The case against Krause of attempting to incite to murder is proceeding. A Blue-book published dealing with tho war shows that the establishment of concentration camps was imperative, owing to General Botha’s threat in November, 1900, to confiscate the property and burn the houses of surrendering burghers.

Lord Kitchener offered not to disturb the farms or families of burghers on commando, provided they were not actively assisting their relations, if Botha would spare farms and families of neutrals or surrenderors. General Botha refused, telling Lord Kitchener that he must take the surrenderors and their families out of the country, otherwise they would suffer.

The C'ommander-in-C'hief indignantly denied that women and children had suffered rough, cruel treatment. Lord Milner, in a despatch dated November, stated that the whole of the loyalist refugees must return to the lianst aal and Orange River Colonies before the Boer prisoners were allowed to do so.

T! 7,1 LONDON, January 19. llm Blue Book shows that :n September General Slialk Burger informed Lord Kitchener that the independence of the Boers and an amnesty for rebels were imperative.

Dr Krause lias been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment—the maximum sentence allowed—for attempting to incite to murder.

LONDON, January 20. Major R. E. Whitehead, with a company of the Royal Munster Fusiliers, stormed with tho bayonet a position at Griquatown, eighty-five miles west of Kimberley on Saturday. Major "Whitehead and four men were killed and five seriously wounded. The Boers lost severely. Colonel Munro’s column killed four and captured six Boers at Karmelspruit. The Boers in the Barkly East district of Capo Colony admit having lost a hundred and fifty m killed, captured and deserted during the last two months. Commandant Scheepers was executed at Graaf Reinct on Saturday. . Commandant Kruitzinger will bo tried immediately.

Twenty-three additional Boor leaders have been permanently banished. M. do Knyper, tho Premier of the Netherlands, saw Mr Wolmarans and the Boer peace delegates at The Hamie directly after his return from London.’ Mr Wolmarans communicated with Mr Kruger, and summoned Mr Fischer and Dr Leyds to confer. It was reported that several officials of the British, Colonial and Foreign Offices were visiting The Hague under assumed names.

The Boer delegates, especially Mr Kruger and Dr Loyds, were most reluctant to suggest a basis of negotiations, fearing a rebuff, since Lord Salisbury’s

declaration in the House of Lords on Thursday that no overtures for peace had been made by the Dutch Government.

Reuter’s Agency reports that Mr Wolmarans, in the course of an interview*, stated that the blockhouses would finish the war quicker than anything else. M. do Kuyper has telegraphed to “ The Times ” denying that he induced the Boer delegates to formulate terms of peace. The correspondent of “ The Times ” at Pretoria states that the numerous captures are demoralising the Boers in the Eastern Transvaal. A number of them are petitioning General Botha to end the war quickly, alleging that they are unable to bear the thought of the women and children starving in the concentration camps. “The Times” suggests that this is an excuse to avoid a charge of cowardice. Trichard’s commando threatens to surrender, and the commandant has appealed to Botha to quell the dissatisfaction. Seven hundred Boers have been captured in the Eastern Transvaal in six weeks. At Dr Krause’s trial on the charge of attempting to incite to murder, it was stated that Brocksma supplied information with regard to the concentration camps to be furnished to the “ Daily News.” Lord Chief Justice Alverstone, in sentencing the accused to two years’ imprisonment, said Dr Krause was mortuly guilty of murder. He had used tho weapons of the murderer against a political opponent. The Government is buying large quantities of New Zealand oats at 23s 6d per quarter. The chief Boer depot is between Olifants and Crocodile rivers, North-west-Transvaal, in an almost inaccessible position. It contains sixty thousand small arms and quantities of ammunition. There are indications that the resistance of the Boers will be unbroken until the British occupy the Zoutspansberg range. Mr Harold Montgomery, son of the Right Rev H. H. Montgomery, Bishop of Tasmania, has received a commission in the Imperial Yeomanry. Mr J. C. Henderson, of Henderson’s Transvaal Estates Company, Limited, lias offered ten thousand pounds if the charges of inhumanity against the British are proved within six months. He leaves the decision to the treasurers of four London hospitals. If it is adverse. half the money is to go to London hospitals and half to hospitals on the Continent.

Lord Milner has informed a correspondent that nearly fifty thousand Outlanders desired to return. A committee. composed of British loyalists, had made selections, giving preference to loyalists, especially those able to employ others or those who had fought in the war.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) AI CKLAND. Januarv 20. Lieutenant J. D. G. Shcra, who lias been mentioned by Lord Kitchener in despatches for gallantry, is an Auckland boy. being the son of Mr J. M. Shcra. formerly member for Auckland Citv. He went out as a sergeant in the Fourth Rough Riders, and has seen considerable service. On one occasion, when on foot attempting to capture a Boer, the man wheeled and fired at fifteen yards, but fortunately missed. Shcra then fired with his revolver, wounded the Boer, and made him prisoner. The affair (or which he lias received special mention occurred on tho Swaziland border on October 23rd. Colonel Garrett’s column bad reached a point where there was a precipice about 3000 ft in depth, covered in d«.use bush. In this the Boers had several laagers, from which it was resolved to dislodge them. The guns were left as a cover, and Colonel Garrett divided liie column. He took charge of one section and Major Abbott was in command of the other, in which were the-New Zealanders. The two divisions worked through the dense bush right and left, destroying waggons and capturing whatever " thev could. Fpon returning from this work. Lieutenant Shcra reported another laager at a distance, and was sent back with thirty New Zealanders and thirty of the Queensland Imperial Bushmen. The way the work was done by the colonials is shown by the folio-wing extract from a brigade order, dated October 23rd ‘Colonel Garrett wishes to express t-o Lieutenants Shcra, Rich (Queensland Imperial Bushmen), Overton (New Zealand Contingent) and Cameron (Queensland Imperial Bushmen), and the men under their command, his appreciation of the admirable manner in which they surrounded and captured the entire Boer laager without suffering any loss.” On this occasion six Boers were captured (including the commandant, who was wounded), three Boers were killed, two mortally and three dangerously woundi , L. 1 addition, twelve rifles, fourteen bandoliers, 840 rounds of ammunition anti eight horses were captured, while fourteen horses were destroyed. Two mules, fifteen oxen, ten saddles, two waggons, one buggy and a large quantity ot rood were also secured.

Among the list of casualties in tho London Times ” of November 23rd appears the name of Lieutenant C. G. Lyre, of the .Imperial Yeomanry, who

was killed at Sterkfontein on November 15th. Mr Eyre, who was well-known in New Zealand, went as sergeant-major in the Fifth Contingent, but left it about a year ago on being given a commission in the Imperial Yeomanry.