THE BOER WAR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2467, 26 June 1901, Page 24

THE BOER WAR.

.—» BOER CLOTHING RUNNING OUT.

CAPTURE OF A BRITISH PATROL. TERRORISING PEACEABLE PEOPLE. REPORTED SURRENDER OF BOTHA.

THE REPORT NOT CONFIRMED. Casualties to New Zealanders.

LONDON, June 17. Colonels Scobell and Gorringe forced Kruitzinger's, Fouche's, and Myburgh's commandos across the borders into Kaffraria. The commandos dispersed, then broke back and reunited. They crossed the railway line at Molteno on the 13th. They are reported well clad, with several horses each, i and plenty of ammunition. After Sladen's Mounteds had captured the convoy De Wet sent help. A hot engagement followed. Colonel Elliott despatched De Lisle's Mounteds to Sladen's assistance, anfl the Boers were soon routed. The killed included Lieutenant John Mair (late of New South Wales), Mounted Corporals Hamp and Barrow, and six men of the South Australian Bushmen. Reuter's Durban correspondent states that Lend Kitchener's Scouts and the Bush Veldt Carbineers on May 13 surprised a Boer laager at Pienaars River, capturing 40 prisoners, all the Boer waggons, and 7000 cattle. Twenty-seven Boers were killed and 86 wounded, and five British were killed and 20 wounded. This intelligence is considered to be a confirmation of the engagement at Waim Baths cabled on June 6. Mr Chambeilain, in the House of Commons, &aid the Government generally agreed with the principles of Sir F. D. Barbour's report, though they did not guarantee that Lord Milner would apply them all. June 18. Lord Kitchener advi&es that since his last report 24 Boers have been killed, 14 wounded, 265 taken prisoners, and 165 surrendered. Three thousand cattle, 1500 horses, 198 waggons, 137 rifles, and 8200 rounds of ammunition were captured, apart from Colonel Elliott's operations. Scheeper's force partially looted Murraysburg. The Boers made a determined effort to recapture the convoy captured from De Wet's followers at Reitz. They charged right up to the Mounted Infantry. lii the House of Commons Mr Brodrick stated that there were 37,738 in the Transvaal concentration camps, including natives —2524 in Natal, 20,374 in the Orange River Colony, and 2490 in Cape Colony. Mr Lloyd George moved the adjournment oT the House, and complained that refugees were not treated with consideration. Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman declared that concentration was barbarous. Mr Brodrick hotly denied inhumanity, and said extreme leniency had protracted the war. The high mortality at the Johannesburg camp in May was owing to measles and the fact that women refused to follow the dietary directions. Every mail brought complaints that injudicious pro-Boer speeches were encouraging resistance. Mr Haldanc (Liberal), amid Liberal interruptions, declared that the Government were showing all possible humanity. The motion for adjournment was negatived ~bj 253 to 134. Fifty Liberal Imperialists abstained from voting, including Mr Asquith, Sir E. Grey, Messrs Haldane and M' Arthur. Fifty-six Irish members, Sir W. V. Harcourt, and Sir H. Gampbell-Bannerman voted with the minority. Mr Rhodes, addressing a gathering of 3000 at Bulawayo, said he estimated there were 9000 Boers in the field. It would be nonsense to concede self-government to the Transvaal and Orange River Colonies until federation was achieved. Natal and tile northern States would not then sympathise with the Cape, which encouraged the rebellion. The prisoners of war number 19,242. Colonel Elliott's prisoners are in a deplorable condition. Some of them were wearing women's skirts. Viljoen, the commander of the Boers at Sleenkooespruit, and Commandant Maritz, S.itli.lSQ, uien^ surrounded a British jpatroL

[ They killed two, wounded two, and captured 20. A British column took up the puisuit, and the Boers' force laagered in a 1 deep kloof at Zand Riveipoort, to the north-west of Warm Baths. Two attempts were mtide to dislodge the enemy, bub proved resullless. It is rumoured that Mr Kmger is selling his Transvaal South African securities and reinvesting in consols, French rentes, and other Continental stocks. June 19. Eight commandos, comprising 1500 Boers, are operating in Midlands district,Cape Colony, and 300 are operating in the western provinces. The Heidelberg Volnnteeis captured a. laager of nine Boers and 4900 sheep and cattle. | Kruitzinger, at Kleinfontein, threatens to ! commandeer all persons giving information Ito the British. He states that he does this in virtue of the proclamation annexing the northern portion of Cape Colony to the late Orange Free State at the beginning of the Colonel Scott's Railway Guards at Hartebeestepan, in the Western Transvaal, captured much stock and two waggons of rifles and ammunition. Sergeant-major Eyre, C.G. (farmer, Auckland), of the fifth New Zealand contingent, has been granted a commission in the Imperial Yeomanry. The troopship Bavaria has sailed for South Africa with 850 men of the Manchester Regiment and 600 of the South, Staffordshire Militia. The War Office has resumed purchasing horses in America. Eight transports are now loading at New Orleans. June 20. The Standard's coriespondent says that 150 Boers, under Commandant Muiler, with 200 reserves, surrounded the Victorians on the occasion of the recent disaster, poured in a heavy fire, and then rushed the camp. All was over in a few minutes. Commandant Muiler also led the rush at Helvetia when Viljoen attacked the British. The Tagus sailed from Capetown on the 13th with the fourth and fifth New Zealand contingents, comprising 638 officers and men, also Lieutenant D. F. Lundon, of the second contingent. The transport is due at Wellington on July 5. Private J. M. Cutter was killed, D. Man'.ey severely wounded, and J. H. Templeton slightly wounded at Hemelfontein. Jesse W. Smith was slightly wounded at Reitfontein. All the above belong to the New Zealand mounted troops. Five columns have commenced clearing the area bounded by Bloemfontein, the Brandfort and Vefc Rivers, Winburg, and Thabanchu. Large captures of stock and grain have been made. The Boers sentenced Commandant Piet Fourie to death for attempting to surrender. De Wet commuted the sentence to imprisonment. Three thousand persons were admitted by ticket to a pro-Boer meeting in the Queen's Hall, of whom 800 were foreigners. Market porters and Battersea gas workers were engaged to keep out opponents. A large force of police assisted to prevent efforts to rush the hall. Mr Labouchere presided. He referred to Lord Milner as a wretched penny-a-liner. British soldiers, he said, were lions led by geese. Mr Merrimau was absent, being indisposed. Mr Saver (Cape Colony), Messrs LloydGeorge, Clifford. Dillon, and Keir Hardie, M.P.'s, denounced the war. Kruger and De Wet were cheered and Mr Chamberlain hissed. Dissenters were instantly ejected. The crowd outside, estimated at 10,000, tried to gain admission, and sang patriotic songs until the rain dispersed them. Some collision with pro-Boers occurred, the latter being hustled and bonneted. Colonel Colenbrander's Scouts are clearing up the .north-east portion of the Transvaal. They have many prisoner, surrenderors, and waggons. The Boers are trying to break through the British coidons and join Beyer's force. Commandant Barraud Venter had arranged with his commando of 100 to surrender, but one of his men informed GeneI ral Badenhave. who imprisoned Venter. ; The latter and two of his Rons, however, managed to escape to the British lines ap Merino. De Wet and Steyn recently made an unsuccessful attempt to cross the line between Standerton and Heidelberg. Lord Roberts has pardoned several volunteers who were sentenced to psnal servitude for sleeping at their posts. General Buller declares that the South African campaign showed want of accuracy in the British rifle fire at short ranges, thus allowing the foe to escape "n ith insufficient; punishment after their positions had been gained. Mr Balfour, addressing the Conservative party managers at the Holborn Restaurant, said "that Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman's assertion that the war was conducted barbarously was a scandalous and shocking statement, since no war had ever been conducted with equal humanity. Several indignant meetings were held outside the Queen's Hall, and resolutions condemning the pro-Boer campaign •were enthusiastically carried, also resolutions to support the Government. June 21, Mr Asquith, addressing the E«sex Liberal (Federation, protested against Liberal Imperialists being denounced as schismatics. They neither repented nor recanted their view that the war was forced upon Great Britain -without adequate reason, and en.i tirely against our -will. There was no authority in the Liberal party, pontifical or otherwise, empowered to excommunicate holders of that view, A resolution jiaa^ed

9tt the Queen's Hall inculcating unconditional surrender to the Boers "was not an l&uthoritative exposition of Liberal opinion. In his address to the Essex Liberal Federation Mr Asquith declared that the South African war was most humanely conducted. No man in the Empire was more penetrated with the spirit of humanity than •Lord Milner. It was impossible to restore the status of the Republics, but he hoped to see a free, federated dominion on the model of Canada or Australia. Mr Austin Chamberlain, speaking at a Conservative luncheon in London, declared that the meanest scribblers in the meanest journal never made a more infamous or tinfounded charge than that made by Sir H. JO. Bannermann in alleging barbarity by jLord Kitchener or the army. The Boer refugees' camps in the Orange (River Colony, besides nine for the natives, require a weekly importation of 88 tons of foodstuff. The average mortality in these camps is 116 per thousand per annum — 'largely the result of the Boer's disregard of sanitation and the women's neglect of the children. The Queen's Hall meeting revived the Continental clamour against England. The French are urged to boycott British goods until the independence of the South African Republics is conceded. The London newspaper The Sun says Downing street believes General Botha has surrendered. June 22. The following casualties "to New Zealand mounted troops are reported : — Lieutenant P. J. Ryan killed, and Private N. J. 'Atkins severely wounded at Paard Plaats on the 16th. Lieutenant Powles, of the fourth New Zealand contingent, has sailed for England. The Treason Court at Burghersdorp sentenced seven members of the Venterstad Committee to terms varying from six months to two years in addition to fining .them £5000. - WASHINGTON, June 22. Colonel Sloeiim, military attache with the British, reports that if j;he English displayed less bravery there would have , been many less faults and more victories, j The slowness of General Buller's advance ! after Ladysmith was inexplicable. If the Delagoa Bay railway had .been cut, Mr ; Kruger would have been compelled to surrender. The British were too merciful. The professions of surrender after the fall of Bloemfontein undoubtedly deceived Lord Roberts. MELBOURNE, June 22. The Governor-General has received a cable from the Duke and Duchess of York condoling with the relatives of the Victorians who were killed at Wolmansrust. CAPETOWN, June 19. Mr Cecil Rhodes sails for England on July 3. RETURNING FROM THE WAR. WELLINGTON, June 20. The following New Zealanders returned by the Westralia last night: — Second Contingent : Corporal Thompson (Christchurch), Private W. H. White. Fourth Contingent: Corporal Woof (Takapau), Privates Clarke (Milton), White (Hampden), Hart (Dalefield), Paton (Dargaville), Robinson (Mangere), K. Ross (Opotiki), Tanner (Tauranga). Fifth Contingent: [Privates Aitken (Invercargill), W. S. Mackintosh (Invereargill), M'Kechnie (Waikaia), L. Monk (Dunedin), M'Donald (Feilding), W. J. Browne (Stratford), Lister (New Plymouth), Veterinary-surgeon Miller (Auckland). Naemher, of the Imperial I/ight Horse, has also returned, badly injured in the back through his horse, which was shot under him, having rolled on him. INVERCARGILL, June 21. A meeting of 40 citizens to-night proceeded vigorously to make preparations for the proper reception of the fourth and fifth contingents, which the district has the assurance of the Premier will disembark from the s.s. Tagus at the Bluff. Committees were set up for various departments, and matters have been started with a swing that augurs a great reception. Captain Hislop informs us that the local Defence Office has received the following telegram from Colonel Penton: — "The following invalids, who arrived by the Morayshire, were to leave for Dunedin, via Christchurch, on Saturday: — Private W. H. White (second), Privates A. Clark and E"White (fourth), Privates R. Aicken, W. F. Macintosh, G. D. M'ELechnie, and L. Monk (fifth)." NEWS OF CASUALTIES. WELLINGTON, June 20. The Premier has been advised that during the recent fighting by the seventh contingent Sergeant Cotter was killed and Privates Macauley, Templeton, and Hulme (Wellington) were wounded. PRESENTATIONS TO COLONEL ROBIN. Mr Theomin, treasurer of the Colonel Hobin Sword and Purse Funds, acknowledges the following further subscriptions: — Mr Justice Williams, £2 2s; per M'Pherson, ■Kemp, and Co., £1 ss; per O. R. Smith, 10s; per National Bank, 13s; per List 170, 4s; per R. T. R., 19s. The gold spurs and the horseshoe casket Irom the TDunedin branch of the New Zealand Natives' Association, which were not ready when the presentation was to be made to Lieutenant-colonel Robin recently, will he on view to-day at Mr Frank Hyaoi&'s premises, Princes street. THE OTAGO NURSES. Mr J. F. M. Fraser has just received a letter from Mr Pilcher, in which the latter gives the following information about the four New Zealand nurse 3 still in South Africa :— " Sister Peiper, instead of taking a, holiday after her illness, went on duty at lNq.. 2 General Hospital, at Pretoria. It is a pity that she should not have taken her leave, for she is scarcely fit for work. Sister Campbell is on board the hospital ship Orcana, which was to leave Durban on the 3£th inst. for England. As the steamer does not call herej owing to the ulasrue. I

will not have an opportunity of seeing her. Sister Williamson was all well at Grey's Hospital, Bloemfontein, when she last wrote me. Sifter Hay left the hospital ship Orcana after an illnc<s of Delagoa fever, and is now on duty at 2\o. 2 General Hospital, Pretoria."