THE TRANSVAAL WAR.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4292, 27 February 1901, Page 7

THE TRANSVAAL WAR.

PURSUIT OF DE WET. THE ORANGE RIVER FLOODED. (Received February 27, 0.23 a.rn.) LONDON. February 20. Mr Bennett Burleigh, correspondent of the ‘‘Daily Telegraph,’* states that the Orange river is still flooded.

Beers are trekking east and north. British columns, forming a wide cordon from Orange River Station to Nerval’s Font, arc closing in. The only means of escape left to the Boers is to swim the river.

Genera) Do Wet and 1 Mr Stoyn are close to Betrnsville, about midway between tlio towns of Orange River and Philippolis. GENERAL BOTHA. A CRUSHING BLOW. (Received February 27, 0.23 a.m.) LONDON, February 26. Boers who have been taken prisoners admit that General Botha has received a crushing blow'. Accompanied by two thousand men, Hie General is retreating in the direction of Komati Poort. OFFICERS PUNISHED. INQUIRIES INTO SURRENDERS. (Received February 27, 0.23 a.in.) LONDON, February 20. Tit the House of Com moms, the Right Hon W. St. J. Broil rick. Secretary of State for War, stated that ninety-nine Courts of Inquiry had been held regarding twenty eases of British surrenders in. South Africa. The inquiries resulted in the dismissal or the placing on halt-pay of ten oliioers, and the inflicting of penalties on others. Mr Brodriek added that cases which involved court-martials would bo made public. REINFORCEMENTS OF YEOMANRY. (Received February 26, 9.45 p.m.) LONDON, February 26. The steamer Tongariro will convoy a thousand yeomanry to the Cape. CIVILIAN GUARDS. (Received February 26, 9.45 p.m;) \ LONDON, February 26. Twenty thousand civilian guards have been enrolled in Cape Colony. DEATH OF A NEW ZEALANDER. (Received February 26, 10.35 p.m.) LONDON, February 26. Private A. Harrison, of the Second Now Zealand Contingent, died of enteric at NaamVport. Private Harrison -was a son of Mr £. T. Harrison, of Colyton, Foikling. DEATH FROM WOUNDS. (Received February 26, 9.45 p.m.) LONDON, February 26. Lieutenant Wilfred Chesney Wilson died of W'ounds received in the engage- j ment at Hartbeestefonteiu. 1 (Received Februarv 27, 0.19 a.m.) i MELBOURNE, February 26. 3 Lieutenant Wilfred Chesney Wilson s was a son of the late Sir Samuel Wilson, 3 and went to South. Africa last year. MISCELLANEOUS. LONDON, February 25. Lord Kitchener is in the Eastern , Transvaal. i Four hundred Boers on Saturday at- ( tacked Fish River railway station, twen- ] ty miles north of Cradock, in Western Cape Colony. The garrison, consisting of forty men of the Lancaster Regiment and a few Capo Police, made a gallant defence until an armoured train arrived to its assistance. The Boers lost sixteen killed and wounded. Lord Roberts, Commander-in-Ohief, is j giving private owners of horses In Great , Britain end the colonies the same chance , as dealers in soiling to the War Office. ! SEVENTH CONTINGENT. AUCKLAND, February 26. The sixty-six men who form the Auckland quota of the Seventh Contingent left Onehunga yesterday for Wellington by the Rotoiti. A largo crowd assembled on the wharf to witness their departure, and all present sang “God Save the King.” Cheers were given for the departing troops, and for the boys at the front, and “Home, Sweet Home” was sung as the ship moved off, followed by the firing of the ship’s guns. DUNEDIN, February 26. The Southland section of twenty-tw.o men for the Seventh Contingent arrived this evening, and will leave tomorrow, with the Otago men, for Wei-, lington. RESTRICTIONS ON CIVILIANS. The following are a few of the restrictions which were recently imposed on i civilians in one of the districts of Cape ; Colony, in, order to assist the military; No man is allowed to wear khaki-col-oured clothing, unless he belongs to the ; Imperial or colonial forces. The license® of hawkers aro suspended for the present, and they are not allowed to move about ‘and ply their trade. ■ No intoxicating liquor of any kind is to bo sold to, conveyed to, or given to natives (i.e., any person of colour). ' No persou is allowed to rid© a bicycle, or cycle of any description, at night . (i.e., between the hours of sunset and sunrise), unless he is in military or Gov- , eminent employ. . Signalling by unauthorised persons is ‘ prohibited. ’ No horse, mule, bicycle, cart, sad- - dlery, or harness is to be sold or sent out of the district without the written permission of tho Commandant. Visitors and strangers arriving at 1 Worcester town are to register their names and addresses in a book, kept for ; that purpose in the Commandant’s office, Such persons are not to leave by road or rail (either by day or night), nn- ' less provided with a pass or railway permit.

Farmers are not to leave their farms except for the purpose of attending, markets, carrying on their business, or going to church. Commercial travellers and dealers are forbidden to travel about the district.

Twenty men of the Wellington quota reported'themselves at Newtown camp yesterday, and a start was at cnce made with drill duties, the orderlies putting small squads through preparatory work under Sergt-Mnjor McDonald. With the exception of one man. all the Wellington city members of the quota turned up at the camp during the course of the day.

Last night the Gisborne quota of ten men arrived in camp. The camp is under Colonel Messenger, of th® Permanent Artillery. Me J, B. Heywood, of th® Tr«*nry,

has received information that his sen —Trooper Hey wood cf the Second Contingent—who was recently reported to have been wounded in action in South Africa, is now progressing favourably. ■