A VISITOR FROM SOUTH AFRICA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2497, 22 January 1902, Page 36

A VISITOR FROM SOUTH AFRICA.

A "BRIEF CHAT WITH DR BUNTINE

Dr Buntine, "whose name," wrote Donald Macclonaid, "was in every mouth in Natal when I landed there," is a passenger in the Waikare, which left on the Sounds excursion last week. Dr Buntine is but a young man, but he has been all through the war from the =tart. He played a distinguished part in the fir~t skirmish in Natal, and subsequently during the siege of Ladysmith. It is stated that he, along with Dr Hornibrook. had been recommended for the Victoria Cross, but the despatches embodying the recommendations have been mislaid, and the brave deeds therein recorded, like the meritorious deeds of many another, have never been rewarded at all. A representative from this paper had a chat for a few minutes with Dr Buntine before the Waikare saileel, and in the course of his remarks the doctor said that he thought it very probable that the war would be over th's wintc-r, notwithstanding that the Boers were sufficiently well pro\ieled with men and piovisions The largo Kaffir population could always ba relied upon to provide food. The winter, however, is a very trying time for th^m. for not only i* food f-carce, but there is a great dearth of water. In the winter season there is little or no rain. Dr Buntine, however, paid that De Wet's latest movements showed no indication that he contemplated surrendering. He was certain that the Boer general was only lying low to make arrangements fur a -\igorouu r-ainpaign. If the \ur is not brought to a close this winter, fhe doctor added, ihrre will be a strong probability of it= continuing through the succeeding summer. During the winter, however, the whole of the veldt will have been laid perfectly bare. What grass the^re is will ha\e been burnt off, and with the absence of rain nothing will be left for the horses. La=t winter the Boers were better off. They had large quantities of provisions and munition.? of war hidden in caves and other places, but these have been gradually discovered and have been destroyed.

In reply to a qurstion regarding the colonial forces Dr Buntine said: "'The opinion generally obtaining in respect of the colonial and irregular forces is a very high one. An American gentleman who once visited me said : ' I saw one of the colonial contingents laud at Capetown. They are a very fine body of me-n — just the sort of men that are wanted in South Africa. I have an idea that John Bull would ha\-e "been a trifle lonely without them." I thought my American friend's ij'mark," Dr Buntine added, "was very apt and terse, for there i= no doubt the colonials have done grand work over there. I see New Zealand is sending away another contingent. The greatest care should be exercised in selecting these mr-n. Only the best should co, for the eyes of the world are upon them."