THE BOER WAR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2429, 3 October 1900, Page 29

THE BOER WAR.

ANOTHER BOER REVERSE. LARGE CAPTURES OF STOCK. SUEEENDEIt OF A COAIMANDO. DESTROYING THE BIG GUNS. BOERS DESTROYING THEIR GUNS. A FIVE DAYS' ARMISTICE BOER OFFICIALS SAIL FOR EUROPI3. —NO DECLARATION OF PEACE BXPBGTBD. Boers for German West Africa. CAPETOWN, September 26. - Sir Gordon Sprigg, in a speech in the Capo Assembly, slated that Kruger was not only a capitalist, but a thief. He had stolen the money of the Republics. The speaker hoped the Portuguese would compel him to disgorge the spoils. In the Assembly Mr Sehreiner's amendment recommending a protectorate over the Republics wps shelved by 41 to 39. September 27. During the discussion on the Treason Bill in the Legislative Council, Mr William Ross, the member for Griqualand West, a district overrun and plundered by rebels during the early stages of the campaign, intimated his intention when the bill was in committee to move that the term of disfranchisement for rebels be 15 instead of five years. The Legislative Council by 13 to 8 passed the second reading of the Treason Bill. •September 29. The. Treason Bill has been read a. third time in the Council. LONDON, September 24. The British have occupied Komati Poort. They found the railway intact. Lord Roberts announces that burghers who voluntarily surrender will be confined at Bloernfontein, and not transported. The Boers at Komati Poort, wh.o fled to Portuguese territory, have, surrendered. September 25. Five hundred Boers belonging to 'Erasmus's commando early on Saturday shelled the Elands River station, but a small garrison of' 200 repelled the attack withi rifles, wounding 11. Meanwhile General Paget, with the West Riding Regiment, Wiltshires, and Ministers (each, comprising two companies), the. City Volunteers, and a battery of two five-iaich guns, marchicl 25 miles during the night, capturing Erasmus's camp, with 2500 cattle, 6000 sheep, 50 horses, and 12 Boers. Colonel Plumer's Bushmen, attacking a section of the same commando, captured 11 Boers, 750 cattle, and 1600 sheep. General Methuen, 45 miles east of Vryberg, captured 634 cattle, 3000 sheep, and 29 horses. General Pole-Carew at Komati Poort captured much rolling slock, locomotives, and truck-loads of Long Tom ammunition. The Portuguese authorities promising maintenance and also passages home, most of the mercenaries have left the Tiansvaal. General Barton captured 1600 cattle, 1000 sheep, and seventeen goods waggons near Krugersdorp. The Beers, who are on the Delagoa frontier, on Sunday last destroyed a number of their Long Toms. Commandant Peinaar, with 3000 Boers, subsequently crossed the Portuguese boundary and surrendered to the Portuguese. The men and horses were in a pitiable condition. The Boers, before evacuating Komati Poort, destroyed a Long Tom, a 98-poimder, and a Crousoi gun. Generals Viljoen and Botha, with Messrs Reitz and Steyn, are leading a commando to the north of the Delagoa Bay line, along the Selati River. Their intention is to harass the British lines of communication. September 26. General Vilicen, with his commando, followed the Selati railway, intending to effect a junction with De Wet. An attempt to destroy the railway at Roodeval Spruit was defeated. A waggon load of dynamite was captured. The locomotives found at Barberton are valued at half a million. Newspapers are xirging that it is Portugal's dx'ty to seuire the State documents in Kruger's hands.

The Boers sent fifty truck loads of ammunition to Delagoa Bay before surrendering. They also burned large quantities.

Mr Kruger, at the instance of the Portuguese authorities, persuaded Commandant Peinaar not to destroy the Komati railway bridge.

The whole of the railway rolling stock belonging to the late Transvaal Republic was spread for eight miles along the Sclati railway line.

The rolling stock "has been captured, and was found" to be in good condition, except some burnt waggons and carriages.

Mr Bennet Burleigh reports that he saw, near the Crocodile River, acres of damaged gun ammunition, damaged waggons, delonators, and stores. He also saw at Komati Poort hundreds of tons of damaged amm-

unition, a large number of broken rifles, tents, and great quantities of damaged provisions and baggage.

Twelve guns, the majority of them damaged, were found at Hectorspruit.

Two 12-pounders, belonging to Q Battery, captured near Bloemfontein, are among .the guns found at the Crocodile River.

A strong flying column under General De LLde has left Pretoria in pursuit of De Wet. Each trooper has two horses, and double teams accompany the guns, transports, and Cape carts. The Portuguese officials at Delagoa Bay have sent emissaries to the Boers urging them to yield. Captain Hutson, of l^ew Zealand, has left the Cape for England by the Kildonan Castle. September 27. Sixteen Canadian officers and 319 men have left Capetown homeward bound. The Boer officials, with their bar gold, have left'Bolagoa Bay for Europe hy the steamer Herzog. •Lord Roberts has granted the Boers a five days' armistice. It is anticipated that 'Erasmus and his j commando will surrender. Schalk Burger (Acting-President of the Transvaal Boers), Viljoen, and the bulk of ths Boers are concentrated in the bush veldt to the east of Pietersburg. The situation is most unhealthy, and it is believed that these Boers are likely to surrender. De Wet is reported to the south-west of Kopjes station with 900 men and three guns. Lord Roberts announces that the City of London Volunteers will arrive in London on November 5, but he fears that he himself cannot return so soon. Mrs Kruger, the wife of the late President, is very feeble, and unable to leafve Pretoria. The chairman of the Bank of Africa states that owing to the stoppage of the Transvaal gold mines the world's supply of gold had diminished by £16,000,000 sterling during the past year. September 28. The reduction in the strength of the army owing to the Avar is only 11,737, inasmuch as 29,000 invalided have now returned to duty. General Pole-Carew is receiving ample supplies via Delagoa. The Portuguese are most civil and obliging to settle with. Brigadier-general Settle, with 7000 men, relieved the British garrison at Schweizer Reneke, forty miles east of Vryburg. The Boers suffered heavily, and their commandant was captured. Twelve thousand British troops will be reviewed at Komatipoort to-day in honour of the dual 'birthday of the King and Queen of Portugal. The Governor of Delagoa Bay will attend. The natives in the Zoutspanberg district are preparing to resist the Boer incursion. The men of the Irish-Boer Brigade have been transferred to a Portuguese ironclad to prevent t'hein. attacking Boer officials for arrears of pay. September 29. Heilbron, Reitz, and Lindley have been reoccupied. C. Franks, a New Zealander, died from entei'ic at Capetown. - The Daily Mail states that, in response to Great Britain's request, the commander of the Dutch warship has been instructed to obtain Kruger's written guarantee that his baggage contains no archives or other State property. The officers have been instructed to exclude such from the luggage of^Kruger's entourage. %Jr Chamberlain, in a letter, states that as the Republics have 'been annexed, he does not anticipate thab any formal declaration of peace will be made. The Marquis" of Lansdowne announces that permanently disabled soldiers will receive life pensions from one and sixpence per day upwards. German shipping firms have arranged for 3500 Boers to trek to German West Africa. Lord Roberts declares that .the soldiers are quite satisfied with the Lce-M&tford rifles, and the Boers use it instead of Mausers whenever they have a chance. September 30. A party of Boers under cover of Hie bush came within 200 yards of, the British post at Pienaar station. Seven of the enemy were killed and a number injured by the British mountain guns and an explosion of mines. Private Waddell, of New South Wales, was and Private Pounds severely wounded in the subsequent pursuit. The Portuguese are much gratified at the review of the British troops at Komati Poort in honour of their King and Queen. Lord Roberts, on behalf of the army, congratulated their Majesties on their birthdays. " October 1. The review of the British troops under General Pole-Carew at Komati Poort in honour of their Portuguese Majesties included General Hamilton's Australians. The Portuguese and British flags; were saluted. Colonel Marchado admired the men's splendid physique, and was interested by the siege guns. General Pole-Carew witnessed the Royal salute at Ressamo Garcia, near the Portuguese border, and afterwards rejoined Lord Roberts at Pretoria. Lord Kitchener - remains at Komati Poort. Trains are working between Delagoa and Johannesburg.

Rolling slock, equal to 100 trains, was captured at Komati Poorl.

The Boars north-west of Komati Poorl were told at the eleventh hour that 50,000

British had been slain in the Elands Vallejh filling the river with blood. ,

Farmers denounce the lingering a'marauding bands of Boers, and conside^ their real enemies to be the Boers them< selves.

Mr Kruger, in a letter to his wife, sayt, that he knew after the capture of Macha* dodorp that the stotiggle was hopeless, and counselled seeking terms. Steyn over-rod(-his counsels, and made fervent mendacious speeches to the burghers. MELBOURNE, September 25. With reference to Dr Fitzgerald's test£> mony before the Hospital Commission, tha doctor has sent a report on the Natal field', hospitals, through the Government, to the Imperial Government. ADELAIDE, September 27. At the request of a member of the Council, the Governor made inquiries as to the prospects of farmers in South Africa. He has ascertained two facts : Not to . allow farmers to go at present, or they would be ruined ; and, secondly, not to go c to Rhodesia, but to the Orange River Colony. Sir Alfred Milner, in a letter to the Governor, promises to supply him with any information available regarding the prospects for farming and conditions. - - BRISBANE, October 1. The. Premier cabled to Lord Roberts that if the services of the first and second contingents were no longer required to instruct the men to return to the colony. Lord Roberts replied that they cannot be spared at present. HOBART, September 30. A calble has been ,sent on behalf of both Houses of Parliament congratulating Lord Roberts on his sixty-eighth birthday. DEATHS OF NEW JZEALANDERS. WELLINGTON, September 28.'. Sir Alfred Milner advises Mr Sedd'on that Trooper G. W. Franks, of the third contingent, died of enteric at Capetown^ on the 27L'h September. Franks was a farmer at Yaldhurst, Canterbury. His father resides in Yorkshire, sSeptember 25.^ Mr H. E. Richai-ds, of Wellington, has received a letter .from the front containing news that his son, John Arthur Richards, was failed -whilst on patrol duty at Krugersdorp farm on the 15th August. Private Richards was a member of the Railway Pioneer Regiment, whose commander sent the news of his death. Deceased was a member of the Zealandia Rifles of this city. September 27. Mr W. H. Skinner, of Wellington, has received news of the death of his son Harry in the Moi River military hospital on July 2. Trooper Skinner arrived in Natal at the outbreak of the war, and - joined Tliorneycroft's Mounted Infaiitry. The cause of death was fever., winch he contracted after the capture of Laing's Nek. He was well known in amateur theatrical circles in Wellington. PROGRESSING FAVOURABLY. WELLINGTON, September 27. The Premier has received the following cablegram from the High Commissioner at Capetown, dated the 26th inst. : — " Newcombe progressing favourably. He sails for England to-day in the Dunira." INVALIDED SOLDIERS. AUCKLAND, September 25. Lieutenant Wall and five invalided troopers were passengers by the Takapuna, which left to-day for Wellington. WELLINGTON, September 26. The invalided troopers from South Africa who reached Auckland by the Eumara arrived at Wellington by the Takapuna to-night, -and were leceived and welcomed by the Premier and maj-or, and a fairly large crowd of the public. October 1. Cables from Cape officials state that the Tokoniaru le£fc on th^ 261h ult. for Wellington with Private Fitzherbert (discharged) and Troopers M'Tavish and Crafar (invalided). M'Tavisli was a member of the HoichKiss Battery, and belong to Wellington. Crafar comes from Blenheim. Both are members of the second contingent. Saddler Ellison was discharged from the hospital on the 271h, fit 'for duty. -He belongs to" the third contingent, and comes irom Christchurci. A COMMISSION FOR A NEW ZEALANDER. (From Our Own Correspondent.! ~"~ WELLINGTON, September 25 v Mr Hector Rolleston, son of the Hon. Mr Rolleston, has received an Imperial commission in one of the South African regiments. He receives, I understand, £1 a day, and two chargers were being sent for his use. The appointment was celebrated by some of the New Zr>alander* by a dinner in the Bulawayo OTub. Mr Rollfsfcon was a clerk in one of the banks in Wellington, where he was very popular. ASSISTING SOLDIERS' RELATIVES. A NEGLECTED CASE. (From Our Owx Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, September 26. That there are cases of neglect in granting aid to the relatives of our men killed in the South African war is apparent. One particular ease was brought under the notice of the Government 1 o-day by Mr A. L. D. Eraser, - member for Napier. It was the case of the widow of Lieutenant Berry, who was wounded and died of his wounds. Notwithstanding this, said Mr Eraser, there had not been one word of sympathy or help from the Defence department to the widow or her children. Relief in such cases, added Mr Eraser, should come spontaneously from the Government. The