SOUTH AFRICA.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 9304, 18 November 1901, Page 3

SOUTH AFRICA.

♦ BOER CONCENTRATION CAMPS. NO WONDER THERE ARE DEATHS. DIRTY HABITS OF THE VROWS. A CURE FOR MEASLES. Eleottlo Telegraph— Copyright— Unit. a Press Association. LONDON, Nov. 16. Lord Kitchener mentions for good services Lieutenant Hecklar, Sergeant-Major Calloway, and Corporal Vercoe, of the Seventh New Zealand Mounteds, for rescuing dismounted men under heavy fire at Wetkoop; also a number of Australians for smart work and gallantry. Lord Kitchener's despatches for July and August show that he is confident of gradually crippling the enemy. He states that organised intimidation prevents the surrender of many otherwise eager to do so.. Lord Kitchener reports that Kitchener's Fighting Scouts, forming Colonel Byng's rearguard at Heilbron, after a two hours' fight, decisively repelled 400 Boers, believed to be under DeWet. Eight Boers were killed ; four British were killed and nine wounded. Three hundred Boers at Brakspruit, Magliesburg district, surrounded a Yeomanry patrol, killing six, wounding sixteen, and capturing others, afterwards releasing them.. Several reinforcements arrived and drove-the enemy off. Lightning killed four and injured two soldiers at Vryheid. Doctors and inspectors eulogise Australian Nursing Sister McClay as an active and capable matron at Middleburg camp. Cape advices indicate the danger ofenlisting doubtful Dutchmen. One hundred and eighty under a British officer recently surrendered to Smuts, practically without opposition, though they occupied a strong position. Lord Kitchener has despatched specially mobile columns with a free hand to cooperate with different districts. •A Reuter correspondent reports that 22 Boers have been captured at Waterberg. Colonel Plunier has made a number of captives m the south-eastern Transvaal. Major Pack Beresford, of the Constabulary, attacked Dumit's laager at Doomhoek, capturing 13. The Times' Middleburg correspondent reports that Commandant Fouche's lieutenant, Theron, a son of T. P. Theron, President of the Afrikander Bond, has been captured. He shot two natives south-east of Burghersdorp, and afterwards boasted of the deed. A Blue Book dealing with the concentration camps shows that the earnest efforts of the authorities have been largely baffled by the inconceivable ignorance, obstinacy, filthiness, fatalism, and laziness of the inmates. Major Hon. Rupert Carrington, commanding the Third New South Wales Bushmen m South Africa, has cabled to the Government that men are urgently wanted for his regiment, and asking if they can induce the pastoralists to raise 150 Bushmen for six months' service at five shillings per day, to be paid by the Imperial Government, equipment found, and a return passage allowed. 1 (Received Nov. 18, 8.57 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 17. ■ A Blue Book shows that Boer mothers m the concentration camps refuse to obey the doctors and nurses, and administer a remedy for measles consisting of tea make from goats' and horses' dung. With the refuse they wash their children. Though black as Kaffirs through dirt, they paint their bodies, except the faces, where green paint is used. Arsenical poisoning ensued. They insist upon administering Dutch quack remedies, containing ether and opium, and feed the children on sardines instead of milk. They use horse-dung poultices, refusing proper ones. The women abstain from entering the maternity hospital, believing they will be starved. They prefer the services of untrained midwives. The .occupants of the camps are extremely callous of each other's sufferings. Colonel Walter Kitchener visits England to obtain rest. A 'dozen more Boer leaders have been banished from South Africa, including the Landdrost of Zuitspanberg.