THE TRANSVAAL WAR.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4263, 24 January 1901, Page 7

THE TRANSVAAL WAR.

CABLE NEWS.

■fNITKD PRESS ASSOCIATION.—BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. COPYRIGHT.

Cl’Fll ATKINS IX THE TIiAXSVAAL. DEATH O.E A XEW ZEALAXDEI!. WHERE IS DE WET? LONDON, January 22. The Ron- leaders arc sedulously mtereepting and destroying copies ol Lord Kitchener’s proclamation. Major-General Clements lias withdrawn from’a position titty miles south-weu of Johannesburg to Pretoria. Trooper Cecil Smith, of the New /e,’.hml Itmedi Riders, has died of dysentery id Mail-king. LThero are two trooper-, named C. Smith in the Third ('em 1 iugenl. One hails from Tinnmi and I lie other from Timvald.] In. the tight at Bushman’s Krant/. tn the 10th there were sixteen British casualties, chiefly in the; Ist Ride Brin- , , p Eonrteen Boors were killed at launos. on the railway close to the south-west herder of the Transvaal, on the 14th. British officials are collecting Customs duties at Delagoa Bay on all goods_ dcstined for the Transvaal, handing Jo per emit, to the Portuguese authorities. Reuter’s correspondent reports that (leneral Christian De Wet is still in Oram-e Colony, and that the Be 'Vet v.ho is with Bonis Botha, ill the Irausvaal is merely a namesake ot his. ADVICE to MR. KRUGER. ” LONDON, January 22. Mr Bennett Burleigh, war correspondent. of the “Daily Telegraph,” reports that. a. majority of the Bond members commissioned hy the Afrikander party, of which, the Hon J. X. Merrmmn (ex(Colon ini Treasurer; is Chairman, counsel Mr Kruger to abandon as hopeless the demand for Boer independence. Mr Kruger has been further advisee to seek a Confederation of the South African States, giving the colonies local control on a population basis, thus avoiding direct government hy '-he Crown. Tn.. IXVASTON OF CAPE COLONY. LONDON, January 22. t’iipietberg, SO miles north of Capetown, is crowded with Dutchmen selling horses to the English and surrendering arms and ammunition. 'Major-General Babington Ims expelled the Boers from Makarskraal. f f"ne Cape authorities are straining every neive to send men to the front. Saddlers are working night ami day. 'The colonial troops have their base at Malmesbury, AS miles from Capetown. DEPARTURE OE MORE MEN. LONDON, January 22. Colonel Sir Arthur Lushington, with live hundred of the 3rd (Prince ef Wales's) Dragoon Guards, has embarkea at Queenstown this afternoon for the Gape. The troops warmly cheered tidings from Osborne that the Queen was then slightly hotter. ARRIVAL OF THE ORIENTRECEPTION AT DUNEDIN.

DUNEDIN, January 23. The welcome to the returning members nF the New Zealand Contingents Orient was a somewhat sorrowful proceeding, the sad news of the death of the Queen causing the modified programme in be abandoned. The Orient missed the tide in the early morning, and the Tutanekai went to the Heads to take off the men, the Hon J. G. Ward being aboard; also Major Owen, of the headquarters staff, the Mayor and members p£ the Patriotic Committee. The Orient having been passed by the Health Officer and cheers exchanged, the steamer entered the Heads. Mr Ward addressed the officers and men, and explained that the programme had boon curtailed owing to the state of the Queen’s health. The Mayor then introduced Mrs Gordon MacDonald, who on behalf of the Patriotic Committee, presented each of the returning soldiers and nurses with a worked khaki purse containing a sum of gold. The Orient brought IG3 soldiers, consisting of eigat officers, throe warrant officers and 150 non-commissioned officers and men; also nursing sisters Teape and Peter, and Dr Burns, of the First Contingent. While the rejoicings on the Orient and the Tutanekai lying alongside were proceeding it was observed that all the bunting on the Taiaroa Heads flagstaff was taken down and only the Union Jack remained at half-mast. The whole scene at once changed. The soldiers quietly embarked'on the Tutanekai and started direct for Dunedin without calling at Port Chalmers, where elaborate preparations had been made for their reception. As the day was a holiday at Dunedin the streets were crowded from an early hour by persons anxious to see the returned soldiers. It became known that there would be some delay in arrival, but still the crowd continued to congregate about the railw'ay station. At about 11.30 the dropping of flags to half-mast caused the news of the death of the Queen to bo generally known. It was not until a little before 2 o’clock that the Tutanekai, with the men on board, reached the wharf at Dunedin, where a large crowd quickly gathered. It was with some difficulty the men were gob through the dense throng by the nearest route to the Agricultural Hall. There was some cheering, but, cn ttic whole, the demonstration was quiet and subdued. Fully a thousand persons were gathered in the Hall, besides the troopers. Thousands more who wanted to get in were shut out. A substantial lunch having been partaken of ‘by the men, the Mayor made a very brief speech of welcome. Mr Ward followed. He referred feelingly to the levs sustained ‘by the Empire by the death of the Queen, and referred to the glories of her reign. He then welcomed the returning officers and men. He said ho ’bad no doubt that their services would be again as readily rendered for then' King and country as they had been for their revered Queen in the past. He asked all present to silently stand as a tribute of respect to the returned soldiers. The emblem, “God Save the Queen,” which had been placed on th e proscenium, was covered with crape. The men weie then taken possession of by friends and made welcome. The Northern Contingent, except those for Christchurch, went to port by the t. !5 p.m. train, and joined ’ the Orient, which left for Wellington. Mr Ward is also a passenger by her. The Christchurch men leave in the- morning. The Orient is expected in Wellington to-morrow morning. TROOPERS SEVERELY ILL. Tlio Acting-Premier has been advised by Sir A. Milner that Private Murphy (No. 2629) and Private Moss (No. 663), ■both members of the New Zealand Con-

tiugent.s, are dangerously ill, the forme; at Kimberley and (he latter at Pretoria .Murphy’s father resides at Marshland Canterbury, Moss conies from "Winchester, South Island.