THE TRANSVAAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 11688, 22 February 1902, Page 3

THE TRANSVAAL.

AN ENGAGEMENT AT EXIPPEN

FAILURE TO DISLODGE THE BOERS.

CAPTURE OF PART OF THE DRAGpON GUARDS.

United PTess Association—?sr jJcctnc Telegraph—Copyright. , Received 9.19 a.m., February 21st LONDON, February 20. General Hamilton report- that he marched to Nigel on February 18th and engaged the Buers at Kiippen. but failed to dfslodce them. Par. of the Dragoon Guards were captured. Major Feilden and Captain Ussher were severely wounded. Two Dragoons were killed, six wounded, and 40 captured and afterwards released.

Colonel Spsns brought to Ermelo 11 prisoners and 19 surrenderee. Fourteen others surrendered on the Natal border. Boers sentenced to penal servitude outside Africa, are going to the Seychelles. A special gaol is being constructed for their accommodation. Twelve hundred ordinary prisoners of war will be ready to be sent to Antigua in the middle of ApriL Major Trollope, of the Army Ballooning Department, states that the capture of General Cronje's force at' Paardeberg was due to a Cape boy signalling from a balloon, which prevented the artillery from firing upon a dummy laager when the Boers were hiding in the bed of a river.

The German pastor and Germans at Paarl. Cape Colony, have protested against the Continental calumnie-.

A British rebel named Geidenhuis was executed on a charge of murdering na-

tives, .j Sir James Rose-Innes has resigned the Attornev-Generalship in the Cape Colony Parliamer.t. Mr T. L. Graham, Colonial Secretarv. succeeds him, Mr Arthur Douglas, member for Grahamstown, becoming Colonial Secretary. SYDNEY, February 21. Arrived—Kent. She proceeds to New Zealand to embark troops. AN INTERCEPTED MESSAGE. THE SPIRIT OF SURRENDER. Received 11.27 p.m., Februarv 21st. LONDON, Februarv 21.

An intercepted message from Piet Viljoen to Sehalkburger urged the latter to do something to counteract the spirit of surrender which is rife in the eastern Transvaal. Botha and Sehalkburger are ■trying to arrange a meeting.

CAPTURE OF A JUDGE.

COLONEL EVANS KILLED.

.Received 12.58 a.m., Februarv 22nd. LONDON, February 21.

A captured burgher named Morrees proved to be Judge Koch, who.presided at the trial which resulted in the acquittal of the constable who shot dead Tom Jackscn Edgar at Ms own house, at Johannesburg, in December, 1898. Colonel Evans, of the volunteer composite regiment, was kiEed during a smart engagement at. Vryheid.

THE CONCENTRATION CAMPS. REPORT BY THE LADIES - COMMIS SION. • Received 1.2 a.m.. Febrnarv 22nd. LONDON. February 21.

The ladies' commission's" report is a striking vindication of the methods emploved at the concentration camps, and pavs a high tribute to-Lord Milner. The report states that the mortality at the camps is largelv attributable to the insanitary condition "of the country and causes within the control of the refugees; that it is impossible to disband the camps, and would be hicUy impolitic to board out refugees, who, if scattered, would be impossible to feed. NEW ZEALANDERS DANGEROUSLY ILL. . Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, February 21. The Governor has received a cablegram from the Casualty Depot, Capetown, giving the following "additional names of New Zealanders who are dangerously ill of enteric fever: —At Charlestown, Sixth Contingent: 3466 Harry Brown, 3504 Herbert Heley. 3376 William Hornig, 3683 Charles Johnson.; Seventh Contingent : 4072 John CcDsidine. from a gunshot wound, 4293 Walter Hart, enteric fever. At Pietermaritzburg—46l6 A. Devine. • THE~MAORI CONTINGENTS. WESTPORT, February 21. The Premier has received the following: —The Governor has received a cab-e message from the Secretary of State for the Colonies informing him that His Majesty's Government received with extreme gratification the offer of the Maoris to serve in any part of the Empire, and they warmly appreciate the splendid loyalty and patriotism which have inspired it. They much regret that the service so freely offered cannot at present be made available in South Africa or elsewhere. In the event of any opportunity arising for the employment of the services of the Maoris in" defence of the Empire. His Majesty's Government -will gladly utilise it and call on a race whose military qualities are so well known. The peculiar circumstances which have compelled His Majesty's Government to refn=e this offer of Maori contingents for South Africa led to similar refusals in other instances, notably in the case of His Majesty the King's Indian army and that of the forces profferred by the Indian feudatory princes. Speaking at Mokihinui to-day, the' Pre-, mier referred to the above despatch, and said that he had no faith in the rash promise given to the Boers by His Majesty's Government that they would only employ Europeans in connection with the hostilities in South Africa. He believed that if native contirgents had been sent from New Zealand they would quickly have shown their merits and have rendered a preat service to the British cause in South Africa. THE NINTH CONTINGENT. DUNEDIN, February 21. His Excellency the Governor and General Babin-eton. Commandant of the Forces, . -visited the Forbury Park camp to-day. The companies of the South Island section were drawn up and gave a general salute. The Governor then inspected each squadron in turn, after which Captain Jackson and other officers were presented to the Governor and the Commandant. The hopes were then walked past, and after being critically examined about half-a-dozen were ordered aside as beintr unsuitable. General Babington- visited the camp again in the afternoon.