SOUTH AFRICA.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 9035, 2 January 1901, Page 3

SOUTH AFRICA.

. (Clectric Telegraph- Copy ripht— United Pleas' AB'Oclr.tion. ) LONDON, Dec, 31. The Boers on Saturday captured Helvetia, a strong position on the Macha-dorp-Lydenberg railway, &eld by a detachment of the Liverpool regiment, whose casualties were fifty, besides two hundred made prisoners. Rev. Steyler has openlv preached v a seditions sermon in the principal Dutch church at Capetown. Many of the congregation left the building. One hundred and fifty prisoners, captured chiefly during the operations against DeWet in South Thabanchu, have arrived at Capetown. Tie Boers, in th& early morning, surprised Helvetia, rushing a* 4.7 gun, but later on the ; British at Swartkopjes shelled the enemy out of Helvetia. The Boers surrounded the captured gun withe their captives, and withdrew it. No ammunition was captured. ' It is denied at Brussels that Kruger advised Botha to submit to the British. A convoy of 35 waggons was captured on Christmas Day west of Vryburg. The_ Boers have occupied Vosburg, andare virtually besieging Zeernst. They threatened Carnarvon until repulsed. - General Settle is assisting General Macdonald and Colonel Jones in the operations against the invaders in Cape Colony. The British under Colonel Reeves reoccupied Helvetia.-*. Major-General F. W. Kitchener with a small force is pursuing the Boers who captured Helvetia. Famine prices prevail at Kimberley. Major-General Colville, interviewed in -London, said he courted an inquiry, declaring that he was unwilling to become a scapegoat because Lord Roberts' staff bungled at Lindiey. He cited other instances of incompetence of Lord Roberts' staff. The farmers in the Venterstad district are co-operating with the British against the roaming commandos. The Dutch Cape churches observed Sunday as a day of humiliation and prayer. It is understood at Durban that Lord Kitchener cannofofficially ask the" colonies to send more troops, but wishes it to be known that Canadians and Australians arriving at Natal will be eligible for immediate enlistment in irregular corps, proceeding to Johannesburg for six months' service. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Dr"FT N. Tewater, who was Minister without portfolio in Schreiner's late Ministry, on a charge of making a seditous speech at a secret Afrikander meeting held at Graafrienet before the war,' assuring Afrikanders that Steyn and De Wet would shortly invade the colony, and that it was the duty of the Dutch to rise. Colonel Delisle defeated the Boers 18 miles westward of De Aar and captured a number of waggons. He released the Cape Police belonging to Philipstown. Jan. 1. — Five hundred Boers derailed trains near Standerton, capturing ten soldiers, five waggons, and supplies. The Daily Express states that Lord Roberts has appointed General PoleCarew to the command of the Australian Federal forces. :