THE TRANSVAAL WAR.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4606, 10 March 1902, Page 5

THE TRANSVAAL WAR.

SEIZURE OF AMMUNITION. (Received March 9, 4.32 p.m.) LONDON, March 8. Colonel Rimington’s column discovered in a cave near Reitz 300,000 rounds of Martini-Henry ammunition, 10,000 Lee-Metford cartridges, hundreds of shells and fuses, a Maxim gun, two heliographs, and quantities of miscellaneous stores. This is supposed to have been General Do Wet’s reserve. FIGHTING NEAR VRYBURG. LONDON, March 7. A party of rebels, under Commandant Vandemerwe, was nearly surrounded in the Vryburg district, between Kimberley and Mafcking. Vandormere escaped, but thirteen rebels and three Transvaalers were captured. THE STRENGTH OF THE ENEMY LONDON, March 7. In the House of Commons, Mr Brodrick, Secretary for War, confessed that he had been unduly sanguine regarding the estimates of the number of Boers in the field. It was impossible to distinguish between fighters and non-fighters, unless they were very old or very young. All surrenderors were liable to serve under commando law. PEACE ENVOYS IN AMERICA. LONDON, March 7. Mr Kruger is bitterly disappointed at President Roosevelt’s declaration that the United States will not intervene in the South African war. He declares that ho will not seek further intervention, but let the Boers fight to a finish. Messrs Wessels and Wolmarans, the Boer delegates now in America, have cabled advising Mr Kruger to recommend the Boer generals to confer with a view to arranging terms. The presence of the delegates in Washington attracts little attention. MISCELLANEOUS. (Received March 9, 4.32 p.m.) LONDON, March 8. Since the 4th inst thirty-five prisoners have been captured at Reitz. LONDON, March 9. Two irregulars were convicted by court-martial at Pretoria and shot for shooting surrendered Boers. AUCKLAND, March 8. Mrs Hayes has received a telegram from the Premier stating that a cable from Capetown reports that Private Hayes is doing well. Hayes was reported to be suffering from enteric. The Premier has informed Mr Colledge that he has received a cable from the officer commanding the Seventh Contingent stating that Lieut. Colledge’s condition is satisfactory, and that he will continue to improve. THE NINTH CONTINGENT. AUCKLAND, March 8. To-day the usual mounted and dismounted drills were held at the Ninth Contingent camp both morning and afternoon. Mr Henry Stowell, Maori interpreter, who is now in Auckland, and is engaged in compiling a work for the Government, was waited on last evening by non-commissioned officers of the Ninth, and asked to Supply a suitable native war-cry for the Ninth. Mr Stowell said the best war-cry he could suggest was “Whanga reia ITu karirie!” (“Steady, charge! Wargod rages”). This, though not a difficult expression to learn, was considered rather' too long, and Mr Stowell then suggested the words, “E tama reia!” (‘Charge, lads!”), which his interviewers accepted as a short and appropriate battle cry for the Ninth. DUNEDIN, March 8.

The Governor arrived at Forbury camp at three o'clock this afternoon, accompanied by the Hon. C. Hill-Trevor and escorted by a body-guard of the Hussars. The Premier was also present, and the party, with the Mayor, Councillors and other persons invited, took up a positiomto the right of the saluting point. The Governor drove round the-troops and inspected them, after which General Babington led the troops to the saluting point in squadron, and then joined the Governor. Captain Jackson next led the troops past In sections. Then the men formed up in column of squadrons, after which

His Excellency addressed the contingent as follows: —“Officers, non-commission-ed officers and men-of the Ninth Contingent, once again I have the honour of wishing Godspeed and good luck to another contingent about to leave our shores for the disturbed British colonies in South Africa. Once again has the utmost part of his Majesty’s diminions freely and of its own accord come forward with no niggard hand to take its share of the burdens entailed on the Mother Country in protecting her citizens and holding our grand Empire. To the soldiers—and you are soldiers —the rights and wrongs of a war are supposed to have little interest. In New Zealand the rights have been fully endorsed by the practically unanimous opinion of Parliament, the meetings in all parts of the colony expressing confidence as regards the conduct of the war in his Majesty’s Ministers, and the repudiation of all slanders 'on our troops in the field. We went to war to fight according to the rules of war. We have strictly observed those rules. As regards those who have broken them, let it be left to justice when the time arrives to deal with these cases, ■ and let us consider them now as sub judice. It cannot now be long before the day arrives when the terms of peace must be arranged. Those terms can only be such as will provide a peace permanent to Dutch and English alike. As one serving in his Majesty’s Colonial Department, it is a matter of great pride to mo to have seen the public spirit everywhere displayed by Ms Majesty’s colonial Ministers throughout our Empire, bub to the colony in which I have the honour to be his humble representative belongs the post of honour. Ever in the forefront in doing whatever would be of most service to the Motherland, your Premier (Mr Seddon) has not waited to see other colonies act, but has throughout by his spontaneous and loyal actions set an example of promptitude and patriotism which baa made New Zealand the cynosure of all eyes, and has done more to raise the feelings of colonial Imperialism and to acknowledge the debt of honour due to the Home land than probably any other colonial statesman in our Empire’s history. To you, officers and men, about to proceed on active service, I desire to point out, as I have done on many occasions before, the absolute necessity of strict discipline. Stern war is no plaything. A man a|leep, for a minute* at Ms

post may cause the loss of many valuable lives. Be, therefore, ever active and alert, cheerful under adverse circumstances. Make the best of things as you find them. Harships, long hours and bodily fatigue you must expect. Bear all with a cheerful smile, and you are certain to feturn to your homes having added lustre to the honours already gained by New Zealand’s sons. Last Sunday I had the pleasure of reading you a telegram from Lord Kitchener conveying his praise of the conduct and bravery of the Seventh Contingent, and stating that the wounded were cheerful and all doing well. The nature of the wounds tells its own tale. They prove that our men fell facing the foe, and though New Zealand sorrows at the loss of so many of her sons, she rejoices in the manner they performed their duty, and in the successful results attained thereby, I consider that the result of this engagement has materially diminished the period of the war, and that the blessings of peace will shortly return. I trust it will be to your lot to be present when peace is proclaimed, that you may see Boers and Englishmen. pursuing their avocations side by side in amity, and commencing to build up that strong British South Africa which would ever be a strong bulwark both of this colony ana our Ehipirc.” At the conclusion of his speech, the Governor bade good-bye to Mr Seddon, and drove oif. Oh the call of Premier, cheers wero given for his Excellency and for the contingent. The Rev. Mr Dutton, chaplain to the Southern section of the Ninth Contingent, was entertained at a social gathering by his late congregation at Caversham, and presented with a purse of sovereigns and some useful articles. Special to this “Times.” DUNEDIN, March 8.

Ninth Contingent affairs are monopolosing public attention. Any appearance of lukewarmness regarding the movement has vanished, and the public are taking the keenest interest in all that relates to the men who are going by tho Kent next Wednesday. One of the subjects of remark amongst those who have seen the Ninth paraded is the youthful appearance of the men. A large number seem to be mere lads. A peculiar fact about this contingent, and one which goes somewhat in the direction of making the men appear young, is that the majority have no moustaches. They are a good-looking lot, and particularly free from minor ailments. Also as a body they are noticeably well behaved. Rumour has it that _ two or three changes-in the officers will be made before the steamer leaves. Amongst other reports is one to the effect that Lieut. J. R. MacDonald, who held a commission in the Fourth, will be offered a captaincy. Tho horses are a better class than was expected at first. Many of them are small by comparison, say, with the First or Fourth horses, but they have _been well tested for soundness'and activity,' and when Captain Snowball has made his last inspection, the survivors will do very well. The men are all in good spirits, and express themselves satisfied with the food and generaltreatment in camp. Tho send off on Wednesday promises to be a brilliant affair, now that the Premier has arranged to give the public a show instead of sending the men off quickly.