CABLE NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 192, 26 August 1901, Page 2

CABLE NEWS.

(Br Elvotuio Tel kqraph.—Copyright.) » BOER WAR. — '■ • GXNE&AL ITIMB. PBB PBBSS ASSOCIATION. London, August 23. A military order has been iasoed closing all country stores in the Queenstown district of Cape Colony. It requires goods likely to be used by the enemy to be taken to certain towns, and forbids country resident! to possess more than a week's provisions. Lord Kitchener's despatch as to the progress of the war referred to the delays in the operations between April and June through the neceasiry training of the new Yeomanry, many of whom are unable to ride and •boot. Afterwards satisfactory progress was made. AFRIKANDERS PRESENT AT IXSOUTION OF BEBEL3. Received 24 4.89 p.m. - London, August 24. The three rebels executed at Orafreinet "belonged to Aberdeen, Janmaville and Victoria West. Dr. Tewater, ex-member of the Cape Ministry, and other members of the Afrikander Bmd were present. Forty civilians attended voluntarily. Tewater and two other members of the Bond refused to contribute to the expenses of Pastor Murray* on hit eelf imposed journey to persuade De Wet-to recall and disband the) invaders of Gape Colony.

SMART CAPTURE OF A BOER OOBVOT,

! IMPORTANT PRISONXRS TAKEN. Received 24, 8.65 p.m. Londoh, Augu«t 23. Featherstonhaugb, near K'erkcdorp, raptured a convoy of 86 w igoc» and 9000 rounds of ammunition. Received 25, 4.89 p.m. Lomxur, Augus'. 24. FeitherstonHußh's capture wert efitcted by Colonel Williams' culuma, including the B?cond New South Wxle« Mounted Infantry, the third N«W Fbuth Walea Bushmen, and the A Battery Royal Australian Artillery with two gun*. Finding tracesof ft big trek near "Kalkoenplaate, in the Staat Valley, 001. Williams' column panned, and after a hard gallop of twelve miles, and sharp fighting, captured the convoy, accomplishing the return journey to camp, with all serviceable captures, 60 mil's in 25 hours. The fact that the convoy were enabled to maintiin the lead of their pursuers si 1 ng is ascribed to contributions voluntarily made, or extorted from farm°rt>, during the trek. The majority of the Boer* escorting the waggon* fie'.' ut 18 pruoom wen taken, including Linddroat Bloemhof, and a Dutch telegraphist in pnaiimioD of a wire-tapping apparatus.

PUNISHMENT OF RBBUA, ARREST OF B3ER BYHPATHDIBB. | RETURN OT BK7UGXBB. UNFIT ENGLIBH THOOPB BUTT BIOS. SUGGESTED EMPLOYMENT OF TBOOPfI , FKOM INDIA. OPENING OF QAPB PARLIAMENT DELAYED. Received 24, S.SCpm. London, August 23. Three rebels were executed at Grafreino*-, and ten to penal servitude far life in H. rinuda*. Receive J 25, 420 pm. L ndos, August 34. A. number of Boanviupathixei• at Sweilendbam have been arrested. | Commandant Smuit, with 260 men, Itnkked 30 miles south ef Klenburf jacross the railway in the direction of •Basutolnnd. J Lord Kitchener h«a permitted <hf . return of 300 refugee* to the Rand. I Beyond the usual monthly number, Lord Kitchener has sent b<ok 200 Yeomanry recruits os radically unfit, and suflering from varioooel*, h*art dis aae, and deafness. He oomphiM bitterly of the ship.hod examination off recruits in England. The Times, in>iew of speedily ter» minating the oampaign, urrfps tba j employee it of seasoned British troops from \nA\x prior to their retura to [Bng'and, the tired South Afrioan campaigners replacing them in India. Owing to th=i difficulty of obtaining a rapes ntative githering of members, aud the danger of infl mrcatory speeches, it is not expecel the Cap* Parlament will asa>?mblj ev-n by October, unlets the situation charge*. The Government of the oo'ony, in the mein'ime, iss n s warrants for expenditure

KRUOKR'S FLIPPANCY. Received '26, O.M in, London, August 25. Mr. Kruger, replying to a German pro 80-r moiety's address, nays thai Lord Ki'cLener's proclamation showed that he recognised the impossibility of subduing the Boers by force of aims. VICTORIANS RETURNING TO TUB FRONT. Received 26, 0.57 am. M Ei-BODaNK, Aufrtnt 35. Onehundrel and twen'y Victorian triopg re! urn to South Africa by the Britannic on indulgence p stages. Welukgiov, August 25. Colonel P.wter (Bev*nth Contingent) cables the Piemierthat the Contingent is well, and he will be all righn it a few days. He also states that Private Donnelly was wounded in the leg severely, and Sergeant Keddell by a horse accident in action severely. LETTERS FROM THB FRONT. Troop«r Hurgraves (lately oa the Daily News s aff) writiug from Stan[derton on June sth. states that after staying at Ermelo two days they ware [ordtrel to saddU up, and west forth lon a long niah-'s maroh, travelling over hilU and v«ry loujih country. | eventually arriving at a Bo»r farmhouse. At d-.yii.jht several shots werehe„rd and the Coloael ordered the men to the top of a kopje. On their war they found o r i» of tbe scouts bad been-

ready to fire when a Boer bullet went through the butt of hie rifb and then passed through his shoulder, killiog him in a few minutes. The Boers j made off through the trees, but three! were captured. A few miles further on an exciting chase took place, resulting in the capture of another trio cf the enemy. Further on the Wellington man, after a chase, secured six Boers. About four later the men started to return to Standerton, and on the way a raid was made for horses, resulting in the capture of about 150, but as the horses could not be nonaged they were left behind. No sooner however had the men turned their backs than three Boers came galloping op with rifles to their shoulders and fired at 40 yards, but fortunately none of the bullets took effect. None of our men were prepared, and the sergeant ordered a surrender. The Boers cime up and took away everything the men had, including horses, saddles, guns, and about 450 rounds of ammunition. The Boers then started their prisoners towards Botha's camp, but subsequently released them, and after a walk of six miles they arrived at camp and explained matters to the colonel, who was satisfied with all but their being unprepared, as to which he gave tbem a lecture. Three days later the writer took part in an exciting chase of four miles after Boers when the bullets were whistling about like a swarm of bees, one man having his hor-e tho*. Later on General Knox's ro'unm saved all the men from being takan prironers. Trooper Hargnrws siys he is getting fat, but he finds the cold at night very severe. Writing on Jane 30th the same correspondent says on their last trek frem Ermolo and Bethel the Boers opened fire and there were seme very n ■no* escapes, one man being shot. Some of the sth and 6th Contingents were with his company, including Serjeant Bobbie, of New Plymouth, of whom he writes in very high terms of pra ; s». Having effected a capture of poultry three of the men had eight fowls, gene and guinea fowls for tea, the meal being described as a " great feed." [No wonder the writer is increasing in bulk.] One party captured by the Boers were stripped of all their c'-othes and dressed in old garments belonging to the enemy, with the result that when the unfortunates cime in sight of Colonel Oolville's column they were treated to 50 rounds from a Maxim before being recognised. Trooper Hirgravea concludes with the statement " that all the Taranaki boys ire getting an first o'«8»." j Trooper Harry Whitcombe fr>m Gravlinge Town on June 20»h, *ay«: "It was very sad lea£ night when the letters were given obt. The five poor fellows that were tilled had a let of letters, and when their names were called nut, everybody was as quiet ss death. We have had a great parade in honour of Colonel Gray, who leaves us to We all turned out in foil togs and gave him our warcry, and hi paid that he w»s very pleased with f he Seventh Contingent, and that they had had one narrow shave (the last, and-1 hope it in), also that we ware a fine body of men, and if we g* on as we have started, we will make New Z aland's name a little bit bigger. We had a day's fighting four days ago, and we bad a hot time of it We were ordered to attack a kopje, and we were half way up when they opened fire on us with a pom-pom, and rifle fire too. It was a regular death trap. We we-e on a slippery rock on the bill-side, and the bullets were cracking all around us, they sounded like big crackers exploding in cans. Well, I was not the last man to leave, I can tell you, I went like the wind, and I was very glad I did. One poor chap was killed, young McLean, and five were wounded. The country is rotton with dead horses and bullocks, every stream you come to, you see five or six dead horses, and they-do'hum.'" A trooper of the Seventh Contingent writing to his friends at Ngaruawahia, from Standerton, aays:—"We think nothing of breaking up piano*, organ?, or any other article of furniture for firewood to boil the hilly. Some of our fellows have had come narrow escapes. Two have had the skin takeL off their knockta. One had bin eyebrow shot off, another got the badges shot off his coa<-, and several have had ho'ee put into their hats. The only use we have had for our bayonets so far is for sticking pigg, and opening jam tins.