THIS DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2678, 5 January 1900, Page 3

THIS DAY.

VERY LATEST.

THE COLONIALS AT SUNNYSIDE. TREATMENT OF PRISONERS. LOYAL DOUGLAS. Keceived January sth, 9.30 a.m, London, January 4. The Modder Eiver correspondent of the Times says that thej prisoners taken at Sunnyside ought to be punished as rebels, and an example made of them. The military officials are delighted that the colonials struck the first blow since Magersfontein.

Capetown, January 4,

The Boers had six killed and twelve wounded at Sunnyside. A number of incriminatory, documents found in a laager captured from them.

The Boers refuse to recognise as prisoners of war any of the former residents of the Transvaal, but will treat them as convicts.

Colonel Pilcher having accomplished his object withdrew from Douglas, escorted by a great procession of local residents. Many of the colonial troops carried the chiMieu.

A SCRIMMAGE AT MOLTENO

GENERAL GATACRE DRIVES BACK THE BOERS,

THE NEW ZEALANDERS HAVE BEEN ENGAGED AT COLENSO.

Received January sth, 9.30 a.m. Capetown, January 4.

The Boers occupied Molteno Cyphergat, but General Gatacre dislodged them and they fied towards Stormberg. There hasgbeen intermittent fighting round Golesbnrg. The New Zealanders are engaged. Reinforcements have been sent to Major-General French, who holds a good position against the laager.

PATRIOTIC FUND

Per Press Association.

WELLINGTON, January 5.

At a meeting of| railway employees it was resolved that the employees in the Wellington-Napier District Railway service shall contribute one day’s pay to the War Belief Fund, with an additional contribution by each member of one hour’s pay every four weeks until peace is proclaimed.

We understand that the money collected by the Caledonian Society by the sale of Kipling’s poem. “ The absentminded Beggar, ” will be sent Home to the Daily Mail's fund. The North Otago Times says:—“ So far between £325 and £350 have been collected for the patriotic fund in Oamaru. The people of Oamaru have so far given liberally to a great and worthy object, and from present appearances the amount raised will be creditable to the generosity of the people, as It will be to the firmness with which we have determined to stand by the Mother Country with men and money ”.

MEETING AT GERALDINE. A well attended meeting of Orari and Geraldine people was held at the Geraldine Hotel on Thursday night to consider the question of holding sports on the Orari race course in aid of the Patriotic Fund. The chair was occupied by Colonel Moore, and Mr Ensor explained the resolution come to at the Orari meeting with reference to the matter. It was resolved that sports as suggested be held on January 25th inst., the programme to consist of military events for infantry and mounted men, horse racing, bicycle and foot racing, and other events, side shows etc. Mr Flatman was asked to see if free railway pases could be obtained for volunteers from Timaru, Ashburton and Christchurch. Captain Mackenzie stated that the Geraldine Rifles were about to go into camp on Friday night, and while in camp could work up a few events for the programme. A general Committee was formed of all present,and Col. Moore, Captain Mackenzie and Lieut. Montgomery were appointed a sub-committee to draw up the military programme,the general programme to be drawn up by Messrs B. R. Macdonald. E. O’Malley, W.T.Turner, Quirke and A.Dunn. The The sub-committee was authorised to arrange for the sale of privileges, and it was agreed to ask tradespeople in Geraldine and Temuka to close their shops at II am. on the day of the sports. It was also decided to order a supply of New Zealand Contingent colours and copies of “ The Absent-Minded Beggar” for sale at the sports. Mr Enser was appointed secretary, and Mr A. McLean assistant secretary. At the conclusion of the meeting Colonel Moore asked the sympathy of those present in connection with a mass meeting to be held at Geraldine shortly, at the request of the Mayor of Christchurch, in regard to the Canterbury war fund. The meeting terminated with several patriotic songs.

BOUND THE WAR MAP. A little knot of keen war critics gathers in front of a large map of South Africa outside the office daily, says “ Womera ”in the “ Australasian, ” A free fight has been narrowly averted more than once, for the crowd invariably comprises all the elements which go to make trouble. Every shade of opinion is represented—Dutch, British, French, Socialistic, and Communistic. Britain’s severest critics are usually Britons—socalled. “ Where was the cavalry when Bailer was crossing the river ? ” asks one of the critics. “ Where was the cavalry ? ” “ They vos under de ped, I s’pose,” puts in a’ little Dutchman, amidst laughter. The Socialist insists that were it not for her fleet England would be nowhere. “ And If France and Germany combined, where would the fleet be ?” England can build a warship in a day,” remarks an authority on naval matters. “ She jolly well can’t do no such thing,” says a cockney with a sneer at the other’s ignorance. “It ud take her a bloomin’ week.” The crowd are reassured at this. “ The British are too bloomin’ modest; that’s their bloomin’ trouble,” the cockney continues. “They are,” puts in the Socialist with a wink at Dutcby; “ John Bull has been very ‘ retiring ’ lately. Why are we getting licked ? Give us proper officers I say; not docks and markisses and young lords and things just from school. Let there be promotion from the ranks. What did Napoleon say ? ” “ Sich feckless loons as ye a-gabbin’ maks a body fou," breaks in a Highlander. “Its the bullet-proof coats the Boers wear,” remarks the cockney, " Why don’t they fight in the open like men ?" “ Yait till you see,” says the Dutchman prophetically, encouraged by the arguments of the Socialist. “Shust you vait. Your British vasn’t such piglicks as dey taut demsen vid der lyddite and derudder cowartly takteeks.” “Man, dear,” puts in an Irishman shaking, a massive finger at Dutchy’s nose “ we cud run away from ye onny time we liked, so we cud.” “We have been proving that lately,” says the Socialist with a sneer. “ You are divilish good in an argymint,” says tbAMshihari,losing his temper, “ but kin yer fight ? ” and he makes to toss off his coat amid the encouraging plaudits of the spectators. “If ye don’t move on the lot av ye I’ll have ye locked up," breaks in a policeman. “ Come, now, on wid ye.”

LETTERS FROM THE CAPE. The following letters of interest are published by the Post Under date, Naauwport 2nd December one of the New Zealand Contingent writes to a friend in this city as follows“ After leaving Capetown we were two days and two nights in the train, and were glad to reach here and get our horses out. All the way up our route lay through sand and a barren wilderness. The line runs through what is called the “karoo” otherwise a desert. We saw several kinds of antelopes and ostriches from the train. “ You would be surprised to see the number of men here—thousands of us. We are at the furthest out base of the mounted men. Next to us are the New South Wales Lancers, Inniskilling Dragoons (who are kind to us), the Berks, Suffolks, Black Watch, Gordon Highlanders, Welsh Borderers, and last, but not least, four batteries of the Royal Horse Artillery. We have been inspected by several big oflicers, and get nothing but praises. They are all surprised to see us so good, and I am sure that in several distinct features our drill is better than some of the regulars. We are all In good health, but still think there’s no country like New Zealand. “I should say two-thirds of the population are blacks, all jabbering Dutch. We have a lot of Boer prisoners—one a boy, only about 12 years old, who was captured with his pockets full of despatches. We keep a very strict guard here, for there are Boers quite close to us. Shots were fired at our men yesterday, only six miles out from our camp. Some of us start off at 3 a.m. on outpost work and patrolling. “The weather is very warm here, much hotter than New Zealand. We have 67 mules and 20 oxen, also 23 Zulus, attached to us, for transport of waggons, It is great fun watching the boys trying to drive mules that had never been in harness before. “We have heard—in fact, has been stated in more than one military paper—that the Home Government intend giving us a trip to England at the end of the war, and that we can stay a month before returning to New Zealand; but lam afraid that this is too good to be true. The great trouble here is the want of decent drinking water, and 1 often long for a drink out of one of the cold Taranaki streams. We, being colonials, have plenty of visitors, and they often ask us absurd questions about New Zealand, and think we should be black. They (the other soldiers) say that we wash, oftener than they do, and I am sure we are a cleaner lot- We are kharkee colour now, our spurs, bayonets, and all bright parts being painted that colour. The Lancers and cavalry have lance points and sabres also painted the same, We are to parade to-morrow (Sunday) for inspection by General French, and in all probability we shall be attached to the Royal Horae Artillery.”

The performance givenjby Miss Abbott, the Georgia magnet, at Temuka on Wednesday was very successful and largely attended, She will be at the Theatre Boyal this evening, and all interested in what is said to foe a wonderful entertainment, should make a point of attending. Miss Abbott is reported to be a very powerful magnet.

The “Tales and Sketches” for our supplement to-morrow include a novelty reprinted from the Australasian ; also one of Le Queux’s best short stories, “ The Third Finger.” The gardeners’ column contains full information of flower and kitchen garden work; and the ladies’ column contains many very interesting items. The supplement also

contains a mass of useful and entertaining matter. I would warn every man who takes an interest in this subject,says Lord Wolseley, that war can never be carried on like a game of chess or some other game »n which the most powerful intellect wins from the very first. War is a game of ups and downs,and you may feat assured that it is impossible to read in history of any campaign that has ever been a march of triumph from beginning to end. Therefore, If at the present moment we are Suffering from disappointments, believe me, those disappointments in many ways are useful tons. We have found that the Boers who declared war against us—for they are the aggressors—are much more powerful and numerous than we anticipated. But at the same time anything that may have taken place lately to dishearten the English people has had a good effect —it has brought us as a nation closer together. The Ehglish speaking people of the world have put their foot down, and intend to carry this thing through, no matter what may be the consequences.