DE WET'S LUCK. A NEW ZEALANDER'S STORY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2496, 15 January 1902, Page 26

DE WET'S LUCK. A NEW ZEALANDER'S STORY.

A Wellington member of the fifth contin gent, lately back from the front, tells the Post the following story a? to how De Wet escaped Lord Methuen:—"For a lon^ ( time," said the trooper, "" we were eire ling round, backwards and forwards, almost always in touch with De Wet, but it looked as | if we were afraid to go for him. After a lot of this work, it became apparent that General Methuen's object was to drive Dp i Wet into Ohphant's Nek, a pass that a handful of resolute men with plenty of am < ■uuutioß stationed on the Transvaal side '

could hold against an army. While we weie doing the shepherding business on the Cape side, Methuen was working round to the other end of the pass, where he stationed two companies of Imperial troops, with orders to hold the r>as3 at all costs. It was

agreed that 14 guns should be fired at our end as a signal that De Wet was in the pass, and that we held our end. On Methuen rejoining us everything seemed to go as we wanted. De Wet and his column, not liking our stirring him up, turned into the pass; the signal was given, and everyone was more or less excited Dy the expectation that the slippery Dutchman would be captured. He went in all right, and kept on going; and he passed out at the other end without let or hindrance ! Once in the open he was lost again. The revulsion of feeling cau=ed by this disappointment was only equalled by wonder as to what had happened to the two companies at the outlet of the nek. Lord Methuen was so ci:c up by the failure or miscarriage of his tactics that he made no attempt to conceal his chagrin. It afterwards turned out that at the time we were driving De Wet into the trap, Baden-Powell was stuck up at Rustenburg, and General lan Hamilton, when on his way to the lelief of the town, found Methuen's two companies, and though he was informed what their purpo.-e was, overruled the officers and inarched the companies off to the relief of ' 8.-P.' What this interference lias cost the Empire it would be difficult to compute."

Before the business of the West Harbour Council commenced on Tuesday his Worship the Maj-or (Mr S. T. Bolton) presented Trooper Harold with a handsome gold Maltese cross and gold ring, suitably inscribed. The Mayor =aid he had received a good account of Trooper Harold when at the front. He had proved himself w>t only a good soldier, but a good comrade, and on returning to his native district he (the Mayor) had much pleasure, on behalf of the people of Ravensbourne ard Rothe-ay, in presenting him with their souvenir as a token of their goodwill towards him. It would show him that when the soldier went to the front to fight the battle for his

King and country they m their r-;sy homes did not forget their absent friends at the front, but followed their career until they welcomed them home. He had much plea sure in wishing him long life to wear and treasure the handsome token of tie esteem and goodwill of the people of t'.e di' trict. The remarks of the Mayor wero heartily endorsed by the whole of the council, after vvh.ch Trooper Harold returned thanks. In doing »o said he was sorry he had had to be sent home from active duties. In one way, however, he was pleased, as it gave him the opportunity of getting bac\ to his old friends. The very hand^omo presents that the Mayor had just given him on b°l.a!f of the people of the district would b" cherished by him as long as he lived, and he thanked them sincerely for the kindness they had shown him on his return.

Major-general Fre'ich, vvlio is about to lelinquish the eomaund of the New South Wales Military Force, is very anxious to go to South Africa with the Federal contingent now being formed. '"Surely it is my tuin now," he said to an interviewer ieci".itly. "They would not let me go bcfoie, ki lt ,'-c my services were wanted here, but 1 am to retire at the cud of the year, so the reason which, blocked me before is absent now. Three brigades of 500 mounted men each make a mounted regiment, and that is a major-general's command. I am the only ofKc?r in Australia holding th" rank of major-general, and if they send a irgime-it it oug'.t to be my command." The following sailed for New Ze^->nfl, via Melbourne, on t!<e 7tb inst.: -32.0 Ryan, 3278 Richards, 3?99 Corporal White, 3768 M'Kenzie, 3736 G- ddes, 4128 Corporal Pointon, 41*2 Buckingham. 4162 Fordham. 4325 Nodrick, 4177 Hallev, 4425 Mitchell. 4217 Wtilke- (? 4213 Walker). 4656 Youn?, 4750 Stjylis, 4338 Baines, 3161 Moore.