THE BOER WAR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2493, 25 December 1901, Page 23

THE BOER WAR.

THE FIFTH VICTORIANS. THE STORY OF THE MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH. MAKING SATISFACTORY PROGRESS. THE WOUNDING OF KRUITZINGER. BLACK LABOUR FOB THE MINES JOHANNESBURG EXCHANGE OPENED. MR KBUGER'S OBSTINAC?. CAPTURE OF TWO LAAGERS. SOME BOER LEADERS MADE PRISONERS. Important Papers Secured. A FOUR HOURS' FIGHT WITH DE WET. LONDON, December 16. Colonels Rimington and Wilson chased Hie Boer forces for 35 miles, compelling them to cross the Rhenoster River at! Waterval, and capturing 22 men, besides I . 375 horses, 3000 cattle, and 8000 sheep. The British occupation of Blaatmkop has deprived Botha of his highest signalling station. ' Trooper Tasker, the New Zealander "sentenced in July to three years' im'prisonnient lor bleeping at his post, and ■whose release was ordered by the Sang , on the strength, of a petition presented i hy Mr E. G. Jellicoe (of Wellington), I will be released, owing to the King's intervention, on the 16th. December 17. Lieutenant W. Lorigan, of the Sixth New Zealand Contingent, is convalescent, and has resumed duty. December 18. Lord Kitchener's weekly report states that during the week 31 Boers .were killed, 7 wounded, 372 taken prisoners, and 48 surrendered ; while 366 rifles and 17,650 rounds of ammunition were captured. Lord Kitchener adds that satisfactory progress is being made. The troops are in excellent spirits. Kruitzinger, in attempting to cross the blockhouse line near Hanover road, was severely wounded and captured, with two adjutants. A number of others were seriously wounded. Major Daman, chasing 350 Boers, captured 18 at Rhenoster River ; also trek .oxen and all the waggons and supplies. Colonel Spence captured 15 of Engeltorecht's Boers in the Ermelo district. *Major Gougb. was severely wounded. A meeting of the Vigilance Committee at Capetown adopted a resolution ' protesting against Sir H. CampbellBan nerman's suggestion for the removal of Mr Chamberlain and Lord Milner. The resolution further declared that the loyalists' retention of office was the best .security for a permanent., just, and honourable settlement, the whole tone of Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman's speech being regarded as pernicious and prejudicial to Imperial interests. Sir Gordon Sprigg, who presided, said the outlook was never brighter. The King personally conferred the Victoria Cross on Lieutenant A. C. Doxat, of the Imperial Yeomanry, son of Mr E. T. Doxat, chairman of directors of Dalgety and Co. Lieutenant Doxat won the distinction at Zeerust in January last, rescuing an unhorsed comrade under a heavy fire. Trooper Tasker has been released from iGosport Prison. The King personally decorated Nurse "Williamson (of New Zealand) with the Itoyal Red Cross.. [The Royal Red Cross was founded in 1883. It is a distinction conferred upon ladies of .any rank or portion, whether subjects or foreigners, who may be brought to Jiis Majesty's notice for acts of mercy in attending to the sick or wounded in time of war.] ' December 19. Private A. Woodward, of the Sixth INew Zealand Contingent, was severely wounded in the thigh at Drakfontein. Kruitzinger, with 30 followers, hiyaded Cape Colony near Colesberg on (the 15th. He attempted on the 16th *o go w#st. Six blockJum^eg geeued, fire. .

Kruitzinger was> wounded in the arm and body. Twelve hundred Foot Guards are preparing to embark for South Africa in the middle of January. The Delagoa Bay railway has been reopened for civil traffic at rates prevailing prior to the war. The importation of natives for working the mines has been resumed. A veterans' corps of yeomanry and colonials previously at the front is iieing formed at Shortcliffe for South Africa. One hundred have already enlisted. o>r Krause's trial is fixed for January. The Standard's Brussels correspondent states that Boer circles consider Kruitzinger's capture the greatest loss they have had since Cronje's surrender. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, considering it impossible under martial law to impugn the military authorities' action, have refused David Marais leave to appeal against a decision of the Supreme Court of Cape Colony declining to order his relea&e. Marais was an auctioneer residing at Paarl, in Cape Colony, and a notary public of the Supreme Court. He was arrested in August last under instructions from the military authorities and lodged in prison. Marais appealed on the grounds that he was detained without trial and that no specific charge was brought against him. December 20. When Badenhor&t was captured Commandant Beger narrowly 'escaped. Fourteen farmers in the Oudtsboarn district have been imprisoned and fined for not reporting the enemy. The following casualties to Australians are reported : — Victorians. — Private Whelan, died of his wounds. Farrier-sergeant Wallace was severely wounded at Grootbi. Queenslanders. — Trooper Roberts and Lance-corporal Murphy, died of enteric. New South Wales. — Private Oldham was killed at Witkrans ; Private Pitt died of enteric. The Johannesburg Exchange has been opened. This has caused a favourable effect on the Paris Bourse. Colonel Steele's Constabulary, in the j Magaliesberg, captured 31 Boers. General Lord Methuen, at Allonby, captured 32 Boers. The War Office has ordered the embodiment of six battalions of militia, the enlistment of 2000 yeomanry, and are accepting married men on the prospect of ! settling in South Africa. The Standard Brussels correspondent states thnt Mr Kruger's obstinacy is increasing daily. Mr Asquith, speaking at Bilston, said that if Lord Rosebery's speech had not transformed, it at any rate had cleared and defined, the situation. The union of all parts of the Empire, consecrated by imperishable memories, demanded an honourable and durable peace, meanwhile the prosecution of operations wfth unflagging valour and alertness. He eulogised Lord Kitchener as a great patient general. John Koch has been convicted in connection with the recent plot at Johannesburg. Predicant Dempers, testifying on behalf of the refugees, admitted that while Kruger fed the poor and the refugees on mealies only, the British had supplied the refugee camps with plenty of flour and groceries. The 30 charges against Commandant Scheepers, recently captured, include murder, arson, and train-wrecking. Renter's Agency reports that, the j American dealers having raised the price of mules, the British War Office will transfer its orders to South America unless the rise be abandoned. December 21. Colonel Allenby surprised Wolmaran's laager at Shoongezicht, south of Balmoral, in the Northern Transvaal, capturing 32 of the Middelburg commando, iacluding Major Pretorius, -of the Staats. Artillery. General Lord Methuen captured Varenesburg's and Potgieter'.s laagers. Potgieter narrowly escaped with his, family. Much stock and important papers were also captured. Botha is near Steynsdorp. December 22. General Dartuell's Imperial Light Horse and Yeomaury engaged and drove off De Wet near Langberg, after a fourhours' fight. Colonel Campbell, at Bethlehem, co-operated. Five Boers were killed and 20 wounded. One British soldier was killed and 14 wounded. BRUSSELS, December 18. In the Chamber of Representatives M. Beernaart combated M. Vandervelde's proposal in favour of Belgian intervention in connection with the Boer concentration camps. The Swiss Government, replying to a similar interpellation, announced that they were determined to maintain strict neutrality. MELBOURNE, December 17. Mr Barton has received a communication from the Imperial Government asking the assistance of the Commonwealth in preventing the immigration to South Africa of dangerous and undesirable persons by the appointment of an officer in each State to issue permits to those who are considered fit. Mr Barton is taking steps to enforce the request. December 20. Large anav contracts for ka^ aad.

other produce for South Africa have been secured locally. SYDNEY, December 17. The Australian press so far have not commented on the despatch of further contingent^. ADELAIDE, December 17. Troopers Steele, Richards, and Parry, the members of the Victorian Fifth Contingent who were sentenced to death for mutiny at Middelburg and subsequently released, arrived by the Oroya. Steele, in an interview, stated that the trouble arose through their not being allowed to go to the assistance of their comrades who were being attacked by the Boers. The news of the disaster reached them at midnight. They were ordered to go to their assistance at once, but General Beatson kept them standing by their horses till daylight the next morning as he was too frightened to move lest he should be surprised. When they did arrive they found that 22 of their comrades had been killed and 43 wounded. Some days after the incident wherein General Beatson called the Victorians white livered curs, he ordered them to march. Right through the ranks, however, there was a determination not to go with, him again, and "what was virtually a refusal to obey orders took place. The lance-corporal advised the men not to mutiny or they would be shot. Steele remarked he would be better shot than follow one who called them white-livered curs, and Australia would think more of them if they threw down their arms. This led to Steele's arrest. Parry and Richards had been previously arrested for trying to get the men to mutiny. TWO NEW ZEALANDERS DOWN WITH ENTERIC. WELLINGTON, Dccsmber 17. The General commanding at Capetown cables: — Dangerously ill: 4288 Lance-cor-poral Robert Flower, enteric, at Newcastle ; 4432 Private Revell. enteric, at Charlesto.vn. BACK FROM THE WAR. WELLINGION, December 19. The following soldiers returned via Sydney by the Monowai this morning: — Lieutenant Joyce (Christchurch), Corporal Fairclou^li (Dunedin), Troopers Morrish (Marlborough), and Tattam (South Canterbuiy). ACCIDENTALLY SHOT. Trooper Ellis Wrigley, a member of the seventh contingent, writing to hi 3 brother from Newcastle, on November 6, records a very painful incident. " The other evening," he says, "we were seated round our camp fire, when a member of the Canterbury Corps rode up, holding in his hand a ' Mauser rifle, which he had got from .a captured Boer. As he came into the radius of light a comrade exclaimed, 'Hallo! What have you got there?' and rising to his feet, walked over to the trooper on horseback, taking from him the rifle, which he held extended in his hand. He then turned round with the rifle pointing in the direction of the group round the camp fire, and discharged it point-blank at the seated men. With a smothered cry Corporal Byrne, of the Canterbury Corps, fell slightly forward. We rushed to his assistance, and as we raised him he looked up and then fell back dead in onr arras. The awful suddenness of the affair for a moment paralysed us, and it would have been hard to find a more wretched and unhappy lot of men than we were for that night." — Press correspondent. A DAY FOR SPECIAL PRAYERS. AUCKLAND, December 23. By the request of the Primate, special prayers were offered, with special psalms and lessons, owing "to, the grievous losses that have been and are being sustained by numberless families and by the Empire in general through the present war in South Africa." A NEW ZEALAND BRIGADE SUGGESTED. WELLINGTON, December 21. Major Andrew, commanding the Sixth Contingent, cables to the Premier that the contingent are all well. He suggests that there should be a New Zealand Brigade, the men of which should, not weigh more than lOst, the officers and staff officers to be New -Zealattders, aud that the brigade- be commanded by New Zealandexs. The Imperial Government should provide two pom-poms, a transport engineer, signalling scout, and field hospital. There would then be a possibility of New Zealand maintaining its, identity in the field. Troopers Monk, Reid, Walker, and Short' returned to Dunedin from South_^A.frica la&t evening, having arrives by express train from the north. They were met on b°half of the Patriotic Committee by Mr C. R. Smith, and welcomed back. A.s the four young men belong to Dunedin and suburbs, they were tak°u charge of by a number of frirnds, who attended at the railway station, and taken to their homes. The Go\ernment have been itchised from the fiout that Aithur Woodward (of the sixth contingent) was severely wounded in the thigh- at Drakfontein on the 13th inst., and that Lance-corporal Hay (of the seventh) is severely ill at Chai - leston with a contused back. SOME STORTES OF THE WAR. A correspondent send* to the Wepun meter Gazette a number of stones of the war received in letters from the front Here are a few samples: — "A 'Tommy' captured by Dp Wet complained of the food, wJaich chiefly consisted of mealies. De Wot told him he had nothing- better. 'But,' '-aid the Boer leader, ' I'll capture a convoy in a few d»ys. and then y.cHi shall have better food ' De Wet did capture a comoy, and the compl lining " Tommy ' did fecehe better foot!— BiHi-^i food." " General Hector Maedonald. asked by Lord Roberts if the Highland Brigade could reach a certain place by a ceitain time, replied, 'Yes — if yoiu ca\alry cau keep up with them.' " " General Fitzroy Hare on one occasion r felt very hungry. The craving for food bjEUgiH as *U ip I©.Y 6 J* &&<£> *&ed «_

private for a biecuit. 'I've only got^one, and I want that few myself. But you may have half.' The General was glad to get the half, and in exchaoge gave the soldier a drink of water. Some of the British speak Uighly of the treatment they received when in the hands of De Wet. Ones his capture included two barrels of rum. These he sent to a British hospital in the vicinity, and he would not allow the Boers to touch a. drop.