OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY LEAGUR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2389, 14 December 1899, Page 24

OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY LEAGUR.

■Ihe ordinary meeting of the committee of the Otago Central Railway League was held last evening in the Chamber of Commerce; present— MeWs A. Bathgate (chairman), T. <W. Kempthorne, W. Barron, A. C. Stronach, 'J. Jolly, jun., J. Carroll. Mr John M'Kay, of Wedderburn, wrote reporting that since Mb last communication at *he end of September the several works on the Otago Central line had been progress- - ang at a very extraordinary rat£ He be.Qieved that at no other time since the works were commenced had such progress been made. There were now at work on the line seven

fangs of masons building culvert?, and at least 00 men were employed on the formation works between Ranfurly and the Poolburn Gorge. Plate-laying and ballasting were commenced on the Ranfurly-Wedderburn section about the Ist November, and he was of the

opinion that the line would be ready for opening to Wedderburn about the end of March, MOO.- He thought the Government intended to spend the whole of the money voted for the line this year. The letter was received with satisfaction. ".Mr T. K. Harty wrote resigning his position >ou the executive ,of the league. " The neceaeity for the league," he added, "no longer exists, as if the swinging majority the Government now have of their supporters in Otago cannot get justice to public works in Otago, ! no league or combine can do it. Otago members of the Government party being numerous, can onw get anything in reason for the province, should they so desire; and, if not, no league can." Mr Carroll : Dear, me : what a prophet ! Ytr Kemptborne : Would you Ljke to condole with him in any way for" the sacrifice he has made? — (Laughter.) Mr Barron : There is a good deal in what he said. The Government has practically no opposition here, and wo could tell our members that we have no political significance, but are merely existing to further this line, and if they think we are strengthening their hands in any way, we will be pleased to continue. Mr Kempthorne said it would be well to continue. They could not do anything except through the members. Mr Carroll agreed with Mr' Kempthorne. It was to be hoped what Mr M'Kay said in his letter — viz., that the whole of the vote would be expended this year — would turn out to be correct. . Mr Barron : Yes ; that is the main thing. Mr Harty's resignation was accepted with regret. » Several small accounts wera passed for payment. ? Shark-catching at Bondi is worrying the council, who have to send a man to bury the carcases. Over 20 were caught in one Eight. A small thing in the Wellington election which raised a rather large laugh at the expense of Mr Hamer, the Premier's secretary (says th& New Zealand Times), was the fact that a wag adroitly fastened a "Vote for 'Atkinson ! " ticket on his back, a trophy .which he thus unconsciously exhibited to Bmiling beholders down several streets.

A large Maori meeting is to be held at Waharoa, near Matamata, on the AucklandRotorua line, during the Christmas week. All the tribes from the surrounding districts of Waikato will be present at the meeting. The day fixed for the assembling of tribes' is the 24 th of December, and the meeting will last till about £b« Now Year.

THE NATAL FRONTIER. DURBAN, December 5. The Boers have evacuated Weanen, to the north-east of Estcourt. The piers of the Tugela River bridge, at Colenso, reported as destroyed by the enemy, are intact. ! December 6. j Labuschague, a prominent Afrikander member of the Natal Legislative Council, has been arrested on a charge of treason ' for_ joining the Boers at Estcourt. j A number of Boer women visited the Boer lines at Ladysmith and implored Jouberl to end the war. | A trestle bridge has been completed ovev the Tugela at Frere. - | The hills which surround Ladysmith and Colenso are dotted with the large guns of the enemy. There are 26 around Lady- ] smith alone. - December 7. General Joubert is at Volksrust under medical treatment. Commandant Wilhelm Schkaikberger replaces him. Ladysmith is excited and cheered at the prospect of relief. Three heavy guns are bombarding the western defences at 4000 yards range. Rations have been reduced, and sickness is prevalent. Large bodies of the enemy are moving in the direction of the Drakenburg mountains, presumably returning to defend the capitals. Major-general Clery has assumed command at Frere, and has established flash signals with Ladysmith. General Buller believes the Boers lost 800 at Ladysmith on the 9th ult. It is evident they will not admit the truth of their losses. Eleven Englishmen have been courtmartialled at Ladybrand for refusing to be commandeered. The searchlight apparatus used at Frere for signalling Ladysmith was devised by | Captain Scott, of the warship Terrible. | The garrison at Ladysmith pass the time, i in all kinds of sport — cricket, football, and rowing being generally indulged in. The Gordon Highlanders celebrated St. Andrew's Day with great spirit. Seven thousand Boers retired through Weenen, north-east of Estcourt on Sunday. Three thousand Boers are reinforcing Commandant Cronje at Spytfontein from Natal. • December 8. Ladysmith was safe on the sth inst., but the situation was daily becoming more difficult. The bombardment is doing considerable damage. The wounded were removed to the hospital, but owing to the Geneva flag n >fc being respected by the enemy, nine invalids were wounded by a shell and one killed. Pretorius, a member "of the Natal Assembly, has been arrested on a charge of treason. General Joubert spent two nights at his house. The naval ,guns engaged the Boers' " Long Tom" at Colenso. General White reports that dissensions exist between the Transvaalers and the Free State troops who are besieging Ladysmith. He also adds that the enemy are short of provisions. December 9. Official reports of the casualties at Ladysmith .since November 1, state that five

officers and 26 men were killed, and 15 officers and 130. men wounded. December 10. General Sir A. H. Hunter, taking with him 500 of the Natal Volunteers and 100 of -the Imperial Light Horse, effected a surprise on the enemy at Lombard's Kop on Thursday last. The British destroyed one 6in gun, also one howitzer, and captured a Maxim. Our loss was one killed and one wounded. On the night of Thursday, , the 7th inst., the 19th Hussars made a raid on Pepworth Hill, near Besters, burning the Boers' laager and cutting the barbed wire fences which had been erected to protect it. Train loads of gaily-dressed Pretorian ladies weekly visit the hills around .Ladysmith in order to watch the bombardment of the town. December 11. When the British were halfway up Lombard's Kop they were met by a hurried fusillade from {he summit, but the men climbed like lizards, cheering. At the sight of the bayonets the enemy were seized with panic. The guns were wrecked with guncotton. THE WESTERN FRONTIER. CAPETOWN, December 5. Further details of the great battle at Modder River prove that the Boers used the dum-dum bullets. They also raised the Red Cross" flag and fired from under its shelter, although subsequently protesting that the}- did not know its significance. Two hundred of the enemy galloped off the battlefield, but in the afternoon the Naval Brigade were able to reach them witn their guns, and exploded many shells among the fugitives. The most harrowing scenes were witnessed the morning after the battle. Many of- the Boers had been buried by their companions ; others were found riddled with shell. The buildings, some of which had been smashed and broken, were filled with the unattended Boer wounded, whose cries and groans were terrible. Three dead Highlanders were found lying together in the one trench. One of them was grasping his enemy's rifle in his stiffened hands. The Free Staters' artillery became panicstricken, and bolted among the Transvaal troops, who cursed and denounced them for their cowardice. The prisoners who were captured told the Britishers that 'General Cronje whipped many of the Boers to prevent them, from fleeing. Notwithstanding the wound he received in the thigh at the battle of Modder River, General Methuen continues on duty. December 6. The British troops at the battle of Modder River were almost maddened with thirst, the water carts being unable to approach the zone of fire. Commandant Cronje considered the defences capable of withstanding an attack for three weeks. General Methuen is satisfied that the enemy's morale was much shaken by the defeat at Modder River, and that the Boer losses exceeded the British. The Lancers have located the Boers on a strong ridge, six miles from the Modder River. General Gatacre, at Putter's Kraal, in the Colesberg district, checked the spread of ; disaffection. The building* at the Do Beers mines in

Kimberley have been turned into workshops in connection . with the arsenal, where shells are being made. These latter have stamped upon them the grim inscription ."With Rhodes's compliments."

The Boers, according to the reports brought in by the natives, are boasting about what they will do with Mr Cecil Rhodes when they capture him, as they have no doubt they will. They propose to pat him in a cage and exhibit him throughout the country.

On the 28th ult., when a sally was made by the besieged from Kimberley, a,nd a Dutch laager -was captured, the British casualties were 22 killed and 31 wounded.

The Boers during the battle of Modder River wore the Red Cross while serving out the ammunition to the troops engaged. December 7.

Major Scott-Turner, who captured a^Boer laager west of Kimberley after storming it, was imable to retain possession, owing to the Boers receiving heavy reinforcements. Major Turner was wounded, and has since j: j , ~> ;

Colonel Baden-Powell reports that Mafeking was all well on the 27th ult.

It is believed here that the condition of Mafeking is too feeble to permit of the garrison taking the risk' of engaging the sniall force with which it is at present invested. The Canadians and Australians form a separate brigade under General Methuen. They were entrained amid frantic enthusiasm. Sir Alfred Milner was present. General Methuen's big guns and additional supplies have arrived here. - " The Boers are massing at Spytfontein heights. They are digging and screening rifle pits, and extending their redoubts.

The building of the Modder River bridge involves considerable delay' and an 3mmense amount of labour.

Lord Methuen is convalescent,

The Lancers, - when near the Modder River and bearing a flag of truce, were fired upon by the enemy.

The Boers are said to be massed in great sk'ength at Aliwal North.

The Boers have annexed the town of Griqua-bour (?Griqua Town, in Griqualand West, and immediately west of Kimberley).The inhabitants are enthusiastic," seriously believing that this action indicates Boer success, ' , ' . Four hundred disloyal farmers are guarding the 'river there. December 8. The Boers have wrecked the Indwe coalfields railway and annexed the Dordrecht district. A battery of horse artillery and the 12tn Lancers have reinforced General Methuen. Ten thousand Cape Volunteers are now in the field. December 9. Four howitzers have reached General Methuen. The railway culvert and telegraph wires were destroyed near Grass Pan yesterday. A body of infantry, two guns, and a regiment of cavalry from the Orange River station, sent toßelmont to co-operate with a battery and battalion of infantry from the Modder River, succeeded in expelling Commandant Prinsloos, who commands one thousand men with a big gnn. ■Fourteen of the British were wounded. The railway and telegraph lines were restored. The Australian contingents arrived at the Orange River station, and started -for the front on the 7th inst.

The Imperial staff officers are delighted with the efficiency of the colonial troops. Captain Lascelles, late aide-de-camp to the Governor of South Australia, has been appointed adjutant of the Australian battalion.

Whilst reconnoitring on Monday the New South Wales Lancers drew the enemy's fire eight miles north-east of the Modder River camp. They retired on finding the Boers strongly posted. /

The Boers were heavily repulsed at Kimberley.

December 10.

Reports received from Pretoria state that tin British early on Saturday attacked Schollz Nek, south of Spytfontein. It is believed a sortie was made simultaneously from Kimberley,

Captain G. S. Holdsworth, of the 7th Hi:ssars, with 85 mounted police, brilliantly surprised a laager at Tsewene, a Transvaal township on the Marico River, north of Kimberley, wounding 28 of the enemy. The attacking force retired safely to Muchudi, in Bechuanaland, having ridden 100 miles in 23 hours.

December 11. A naval gun at the Moddec, River shelled the northern kopjes, crowded with Boers. The lyddite shells effected great slaughter, churning up an acre of ground, and destroying the emplacement for the gun.

There are indications of an outbreak of typhoid at Spytfontein owing to an insufficient water suDply •

1 , . LONDON, December 6. The Times states that the Boers lost 159 killed arid hundreds .were , wounded; - Kiniberley has 40 .days' provisions and .plenty of water. The Boers at Spytfontein number 11,000,they having received .-large, reinforcements from the Natal frontier. * '