THE REFUGEES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11659, 16 February 1900, Page 2

THE REFUGEES.

In Uio letter of a Melbourne young lady from I'ietermaritzburg. written to her mother, and published in the Argus, the writer says: "Absolutely nothing'has happened since that terrible reverse at Colonso. I mot the stationmaster from CJyeveloy, and he says poor young Roberts was buried in his bnclc garden,' just like an ordinary Tommy, with his blanket round him. Also heard for a fact fiat General Buller says he expects to lose 5000 men before lie sets into Ladysmitli. A lot of people here have had letters by black runners from Ladysmitli from their friends. Everybody t.^nks now that it will bo quite six months before this terrible war is over, and what all the poor refugees are going to do, God alone knows. You can't imagine the thousands of people from Johannesburg who have lived up to all they earned, or, perhaps, paved a little, who now, after three months, are almost penniless. Tho Relief Committee have been awfully good, but they any funds are giving out, and now Ihoy only give the poor refuitecs Is a day lo lironn, Tho Relief Committee are now going; round Mnritzburi; eommavideorinji' any rooms (oven silting rooms) that the inhabitants may lmvo for tho refugees; and they actually wanted to put three families into ono room of a house. So yon see to what a pass things arc, coming, and the war really has hardly startod yot."