THE TRANSVAAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 11654, 11 January 1902, Page 2

THE TRANSVAAL.

EFFECT OF THE BLOCKHOUSE SYSTEM. a COMBINATION OF BOER FORCES. THE FALSEHOODS IN THE GERMAN PRESS. United Press Association—Per Electric Telegraph—Copyright. Received 9.2 a.m., January 10th. LONDON, January 9. The extension of the blockhouse system is giving General Bruce Hamilton a firmer grip of the Eastern Transvaal. Louis Botha is concentrating in the vicinity of Mongoma. Grobellaar at Inhlazatye, and Dtuinhawiser at Babango, have combined their forces, which are estimated at 1250. They have three guns. Dr Hans Sauer, brother of an exMinister of Cape Colony, declares that he salw an application form of admission to citizenship in the United South African Republic. One hundred and eighty thousand: were printed in Poland and forwarded 1 to the Boer leaders prior to the war. The following is a sample of the latest lies published in the German press. It appears in the "Kruiz Zeitung":—"Lord Kitchener's so-called prisoners include aged persons, women and kaffir servants. Kitchener has organised entire commandos of kaffirs."

A concentration camp to hold 2000 prisoners is being constructed at Port Elizabeth.

The Government is purchasing vast tracts of land in the south-east of the Orange Colony.

BRISBANE, January 10. A cable has been received from Lord Milner stating that 10,000 young breeding cattle are required for South Africa during the ensuing year, and asking the price. A reply was sent stating that £3 to £4 per head would be the cost. APPEAL FOR INFANTRY. Received 11 p.m., January 10th. LONDON, January 10. The Government have appealed for 9396 infantry volunteers, to replace the volunteers serving in South Africa. RUMOURED GENERAL SURRENDER OF BOERS. SPEECH BY LORD MILNER. Received 11.8 p.m., January 10th. LONDON, January 10. The burghers show an increasing inclination to surrender. It is rumoured at Standerton that there will be a general surrender of Transvaal Boers on the 15th inst.

Lord Milner, speaking at a banquet a* Johannesburg, said that tho situation was steadily improving. A hopeful feeling abounds ; bursting storm clouds had cleared the air, and only inconceivable folly or mismanagement would lead to a. repetition of disaster. Though some were still striving to preserve the old political duallism in. substance, if not in form, and despite the pro-Boers, Britain was firmly determined not to be cheated of the results of the wa* '

DR CLARK ESPOUSING THE CAUSE ' OF THE BOERS. A CAPE LEGISLATOR COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. NEW ZEALANDERS KILLED AND WOUNDED. RECOVERY OF ONE OF BENSON'S GUNS. Received 12.26 a.m., January 11th. LONDON, January 10. Dr G. B. Clark, an ex-member of the House of Commons for Caithness, after consulting the Boers on the Continent, starts for America to urge Piesident- Roosevelt to intervene. Mr Casper Jacobus, lately representative for Jansenville in the Cape Assembly, has been committed for trial on a charge of treason. ! New Zealand mounted*. —Casualties —At Zwarwater on th 4 3rd inst., Sergeant-Major Sydney Smith, killed ; Lieutenant James Mitchell, Sergeant-Majnr Charles Montague Lewin, Corporal Charles Ernest Griffiths, Private Llewellyn Claik, severely wounded.

Colonel Allenby lia> recovered. The second gun captured from Colonel Benson at the Brakensinagte reverse, was • found.hidden iih a spnul at Bethel. SOME DETAILS OK THE JOHANNESBURG l'!.')T. THE WAR SAID T< > HE RAPIDLY CLOSING. Received 12.26 a.m.. January 11th. LOX!>' >N, January 10. The "Daily Telegraph" correspondent states in reference U' 'lie plot which was discovered in Johni'm *.buvg in December last, : that it was hatched by 300 foreigners, who, with the assistance of a commandant, kept 1000 men ambushed outside the town, proposed to treacherously murder the members of the Rand Rifles and Police, capture or kill Lord Kitchener and Lord Milner. 'burn' Johannesburg, and flee to the. mountains, hoping to compel nritain to sue for peace . Sixty arrests v. ip. made. Lord George Hamilton, speaking at haling, said that the news i oivtvcd by the Government was satisfactory, that the vur was rapidly closing.

( THE EIGHTH COXTiNGENT. COLONEL DAVT.KS AI'CRPTS THE COMMAS"!). Per Press Association. WELLING I ON, January 10. Lieutenant-Colonel levies lias accepted command of the Eighth I ontingent. Captain Bingley, at preset" in Canterbury, is to be brigade-Hi-! i<;v : Captain Matthews and Sergeant-Maj i i'.-»;ers are to be staif officers; Captain !'•'■• ii■■ ■ iI will command the North Island !• m.-ihon. with Captain Poison as second ' .mimand ; Major Cliaytor will command i! N. -.uh Island battalion, with Captain J:.. I-..-mi is second in command. At a meeting of cititn-day, it was decided to give a lmirho.ii l- Ihc men of the Eighth Contingent piior to their enibinkation from this poTttm the 23rd in>t. CHRISTCHUKCH, January 10. The jiarade state of the South Island Battalion of the Eighth Contingent, taken this morning, shows the total number of all ranks to be 467. Routine work was carried out at the camp to-day. At a muster parade 466 men were- present, excluding staff officers. Twenty-seven horses arrived from Wellington to-day, and more are expected tomorrow. The announcement that Major Chaytor

-was to be placed ia command of the South Island Battalion, with Captain Jackson second in command, gave disappointment, as the latter's general Scnth African experience was considered to give him a prior claim. Captain Bingley has been offered the position of Brigad'e-Major.