CIVIL GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHED;

Otago Witness, Issue 2520, 2 July 1902, Page 66

CIVIL GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHED;

RESTORING PRISONERS.

ADDITIONAL SURRENDERS.

A TOTAL OF TWENTY THOUSAND.

ANOTHER COMMANDO SUR-

RENDERS.

BURGHERS RETURNING TO THEIR

FARMS.

CAPETOWN, June 23

Viscount Kitchener has sailed for England. He received a great, ovation. She Mayor of Capetown presented him With an address. The signatures included those of many Irish residents. Lord Kitchener -said that he accepted this a*-a compliment to hisjiative land, and eulogised the work of the Irish regiments during the war. LONDON, June 23.

In the presence of a large and representative assembly the letters patent of the Transvaal Constitution were read inPretoria.

Lord Milner then read the Royal Commission appointing him to several offices, Including that of Governor, and then took the oath of office.

The latter was also administered to the members of the Executive Council, including Mr J. Davidson (Colonial Secretary), Mr P. Duncan (Treasurer), Sir Godfrey Lagden (Native Affairs), and Mr J. W. Honey (Customs).

The ceremony concluded with three cheers each for the King and Lord Milner. Lord Milner, on May 19, personally and unofficially wrote expressing his sympathy with the petition he had received to suspend the Cape Constitution in view of racial bitterness and other and .wider interests outside the Cape. The Times Pretoria correspondent says that Botha declares that one of the

main factors auguring for their future

prosperity is the absence of party politics. The Constitution of the Cape

ought to be suspended, otherwise the Afrikander Bond will champion the cause of the disaffected and try to maintain facial antipathies. The Standard Pretoria correspondent

pays that the general trend of opinion the suspension of the Cape and possibly the Natal Constitutions, as a preliminary towards confederation and (Lord Milner's control of the entire subcontinent. This would enable responsible government to be assumed in all the States concurrently and on equal conditions. Majors-general Walter Kitchener and Sir Hugh M'Calmont have sailed for Englandi Lieutenant-general French sails to-day. Tune 24. There have been 276 surrenders at Kimberley, all rebels, with the exception of seven. In the Western Cape Colony 650 have surrendered, including 481 rebels. In view of the conclusion of peace md the absence of documents, those implicated in the recent Pretoria plot have been released. Tho deaths are reported of Private .William Whetter (Eighth New Zealand Contingent), .of dysentery, at Klerksdorp; Hugh Edward CollLon (Tenth Kew Zealand Contingent), accidental dislocation of the neck, at Newcastle. Viscount Kitchener, at a luncheon prior to his departure from Capetown, in accepting a sword of honour, said he idid so as » compliment to the army. He was relieved to find the Cape Colonials did not .denounce martini lavr 3

for the declaration of which he was primarily responsible. Without it the Cape farmers would have been actually or politically dead. They were fed with lies, not always in Dutch, until they thought us a nation of monsters. Martial law intervened and prevented people taking the fatal step. Now that peace was restored, he urged all to banish racial feelings, banish leagues and bonds, and unitedly throw in their lot in promoting the common welfare. Lord Roberts repeats his appeal to the people not to treat returning troops to stimulants, adding that he is equally jealous of the proud and stainless reputation of his gallant comrades. June 25. One hundred prisoners at Simonstown have returned to their farms. Other batches are starting daily. The repatriation from the concentration camps will be completed in August.

Lord Milner was sworn in Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Orange River Colony in the presence of General De Wet and others, with Mr H. F. Blame as Legal Adviser, and Mr A. Brown Colonial Treasurer. • June 26. Mr Chamberlain is communicating with Lord " Milner regarding the aippointment of Boer leaders to civil posts, but he is unable to give particulars.

General Botha visited the Boer prisoners at Pretoria, and counselled them to submit. Forty took the oath and were released.

Commandants Pouws' and Lategan's commandos, numbering 464, have surrendered at Kenhart, and 23 other Boers at Kimberley.

June 27. The Standard states that the total Boer surrenders has reached 20,000.

A great public welcome is being arranged for Viscount Kitchener. There will probably be a procession through London, escorted by the war veterans who arrived by the Bavarian.

The Duke of Connaught welcomed the troops who arrived by the Bavarian. Ho afterwards addressed and shook hands with the men.

Fourteen hundred Commonwealth troops sailed from Durban for Australia on the Manchester Merchant to-day.

June 28

Four hundred and seventy-eight Boers at St. Helena signed the oath of allegiance, marched to the harbour carrying Union Jacks, headed by a band, and embarked amidst immense enthubiusm.

June 29.

Golding's commando at Beaufort West surrendered, and the men cheered for the King.

Burghers and released rebels are permitted to return to their farms after a formal admission of guilt.

Many Transvaal and Orange burghers are petitioning the British Legation in Brussels to accept their oath of allegiance and to sanction their return.

The Agent of the Argentine is endeavouring to persuade the Boer refugees in Portugal to found a colony in Patagonia.

SYDNEY, June 25

The Australasian has arrived with another detachment of returned troopers, including a number of New Zealanders.

BRISBANE, June 27.

The city is en fete to-night celebrating peace. There are tremendous crowds in the streets, and all vehicular traffic is suspended. The Governor, Premier, and Mayor delivered speeches from the balcony of the Treasury Buildings. A procession was held, a large number of military and friendly societies taking part. A number of lorrys carrying tableaux representing the King and Queen signing peace marched through the principal streets. The chief buildings were splendidly illuminated. There wa<- a flue display of fireworks, which was viewed by 50,000 persons. THE SEVENTH CONTINGENT WELLINGTON, June 25. The ailment-, of tho ni< n of tho Be\onth Contingent on board the M ml.i piove to he uot>kin.£ moie terras Uuin a. ffow casti

of influenza. The men were allowed to land after the vessel had been fumigated. The officers and men of the Seventh Contingent were entertained at luncheon to-day. The Governor and Sir J. G. Ward were present. The speeches were very brief on account of the news concerning the King. THE NINTH CONTINGENT. A private cable message has been received stating that the Ninth Contingent is at Capetown, returning — all well. THE TENTH CONTINGENT. A cablegram has been received by the Hon. J. M'Gowan stating that the Tenth Contingent will probably embark for New Zealand early next month. DANGEROUSLY ILL. - WELLINGTON, June 27. The Governor has been advised that the following members of the Eighth Contingent aTe dangerously ill: — Robert Gilpin, from dysentery, at Elandsfontein ; Patrick Lee, from injuries, at Potchefstroom. THE CENSOR AND THE SEVENTH. WELLINGTON, June 27. Sir Joseph "Ward has received a communication from Colonel Porter, dated Durban, 14th May, in which that officer says that an injustice ha-s been done to the Seventh New Zealand Mounted Regiment through the censors' having sup- ■ pressed an important cable message of his to the Premier, dated March 3. This message said: "Gratified to report most dashing capture by the Seventh New Zealanders today of De Wet'e guns, one 15-poundcr. two pom-poms, a large amount of ammunition, waggons, rifles, etc. Most important capture. These are eaid to bo the last of the enemy's guns. De Wet escaped from close quarters. The Seventh charged the guns gallantly, and took them after hand-to-hand fighting." Colonel Porter adds that in. his Bothasberg despatch he waa reported to have said " Not ono skulker reported." This wae an error in transmission. What he wrote was "Not a single reproach." He also says that he regrets many of his cables were mutilated by the censors. PRESENTATION OP MEDALS. MASTERTON, June 27. Troopers March and Lett weTe presented by the Mayor with the South African war medals to-night. Corporal Stanley Smith (supplementary section Seventh Contingent), of Hokitika, is dangerously ill in Hobart Hospital, and his recovery is doubtful. The Waitaki County Council has voted £100 Towards a memorial to bo erected in Oamaru to the memory of the troopers who fell in South Africa.