GENERAL ITEMS. LONDON, December 12.

Otago Witness, Issue 2389, 14 December 1899, Page 33

GENERAL ITEMS. LONDON, December 12.

Great Britain, at the instance of .the" belli-; gerents through tile Netherlands. h'as'WrrecA."

-£o furnish lists, and' to state the condition of the Boer prisoners. She expects the Courtesy to be reciprocated by tie Beers-. MELBOURNE, - December 12. A steamer left to-day for Port Elizabeth. She has a cargo, of 18,000 sacks of oats arid a number ot horses and sheep, ordered for the army in South Africa by the War Office. SYDNEY, December 12. The Cornwall, with the Queensland troops, arrived at Port Elizabeth- on Sunday. Only two horses out of 285 were lost. A military inquiry has been held, regarding the action of the 31 Lancers who returned. The report states that, with the exception of eight, satisfactory explanations, were furnished, but as the eight had committed no breach of the military regulations their action was nothing more t than an error of judgment. : Two . troopers were dismissed for insubordination during the voyage. WELLINGTON, December 12. j The Premier has received the following- ; cablegram, from, the - Agent-gemSral, dated? 11th inst. :— " The New Zealand Contingent v had, their first skirmish at Arundel onEriday. The enemy were compelled' to retreat, losing, seven. Our loss was one (horse only." : I JJnder last night's date' from London the" has cabled' the Premier stating that General Gatacre was repulsed' at Stormberg with a loss of about -700 men. The Waiwera left Capetown on Saturday on. her return to New Zealand, via tfobarl. "