THE RAND SITUATION.

Wairarapa Age, 15 March 1922, Page 5

THE RAND SITUATION.

—.. NOV/ WELL IN HAND. ROUNDING UP THE REBELS. (Press Association—Copyright.) Capetown, March 13.—A thousand prisoners were taken in the capture of Bcnoni. The arrests include a number of strike leaders. The Government forces only had 25 casualties. The beleaguered police released at Brixton were in an exhausted condition. They were kept without fool for three days. Boy Scouts who attempted to relieve them were sniped at. Colonel Musscy’s force occupied Boodepoort and Florida, and is marching on Maraisburg, where the Reds occupy a strong position. FOREIGN HELP FOR REBELS. Capetown, March 13.—1 t is now stated that the money to finance the revolution came from abroad. RED CROSS OUTRAGED. Capetown, March 13.—0 n Saturday afternoon three Red Cross motor ears, carrying Rod Cross flags, were despatched to Auckland Park to bring back nurses for service. They were subjected to heavy fire by the rebels, and were obliged to pull up, and the i urses had to lie down. An attempt was made under a white flag to rescue them, but the rescuers were fired on, and it was almost three hours before the cars succeeded in escaping, riddled with bullets. In connection with the reported murder of two officers at Jeppes, it now transpires that one of them, Captain Ironside, was twice wounded and robbed, and threatened with death, but was rescued by some of the strikers and sent to a hospital. Nothing has been heard regarding the other officer. At Fordsburg, the revolutionary forces dug themselves in on the streets, and are woiking hard at entrenching the street corners. Notices are dis played that they have declared martial law. A few police are still held prisoners in a schoolroom. The roads leading from the town are barricaded. Motor transport in Johannesburg is again running freely, but normal activities are almost at a standstill. The police are drafting the male population in some of the disaffected areas into convenient locations, anl combing out those who are wanted. GENERAL SMUTS CONFIDENT. Capetown, March 13. • — Goner d Smuts, in an interview, declared that the position is in every way satisfactory. The response of the Government commandos is magnificent, and he is confident that the revolution will soon be utterly crushed. POSITION IN CAPETOWN. Capetown, March 13.—The military authorities do not anticipate trouble iii Capetown, but are fully prepared for any contingency. There is no intention of calling up the local defence units. DURBAN DEVELOPMENTS. Capetown March 13.—The power station at Durban is guarded by police. Most of the members of the unions affiliated to the Labour Federation are on strike. A meeting of the Railwaymen’s Union passed a motion calling on the Governor-General to dissolve Parliament, and appeal to the people to prevent further bloodshed; and also demanding a ballot for a general strike

THE FIGHT AT VREDEDORP,

Capetown* March 13.—Details of the fighting show that the engagement with the Vrededorp commando was of a most desperate character. After the aeroplanes bad dropped bombs for cn hour, big guns came into play, while machine guns and rifles kept up a continuous fusillade. The Reds, well armed, defended the position with the utmost vigour. It is believed that their losses were heavy. Over a thousand I’ed prisoners were captured. Thousands of spectators watched the ad-

vance of the Government forces. Soon after the artillery' commenced shelliag the ridges where the Reds were entrenched, they began to retreat in good order, and the retreat quickly swelled into a continuous stream. The Government forces have captured Brakpan. AN OFFICIAL REPORT. ENCIRCLING MOVEMENT COMPLETE. ONLY CENTRAL AREA ACTIVE. (Received 9.40 p.m.) Capetown, March 14.—An official communique states: —In the central area our aeroplanes observed great activity at Fordsburg. The police who wree relieved yes terday to-day captured 24 prisoners and arms and caused the enemy several casualties. The police examined th? aeroplanes at Mulderdrift road and found one destroyed by fire and the others slightly injured. They' found the police sta tion “at Newlands destroyed and a number of wounded revolutionaries in the Newlands hospital. From information received from natives, it is clear that in yesterday’s bombing raid many revolutionaries were killed and two of their leaders seriously wounded. In inspector of police and 86 police men' who were captured were taken

cut during the night to Asvogelfon tein and released.

In the eastern area, the garrrisons at Liet and Benoni are busy sorting cut prisoners. Over 4000 persons were dealt with. These include a consider able number of indviduals who could be trusted not to be revolutionaries, being held in Che town against their will.

General Van Deventer relieved the garrisons at the Brakpan power station and police station. The men at the latter showed particular gallantry in holding out without water or food for three days, and with their defences riddled by snipers. Colonel Nussey, with the troops under his command, has reached Marais burg. There was some sniping from kopjes north of the railway, and Colonel Nussey is working to clear his position; his dismounted men are still at Florida. Later, he reached New lands. A number of revolutionaries were observed amongst the kopjes ahead of him. He came into touch nt this point with a squadron of the South African Mounted Rifles—the extreme left portion of the force under General Bebes. Another portion of the force junetioned at Durban wiHt Light Infantry. In the vicinity of the Teewclare station, in the Pretoria-Germiston aiea, General Van de Waet’s force pushed out several miles eastward and westward of Rietfontein station. The high ground on both sides of the railway is now held by this force. Every thing is quiet in this sector, and a junction has been effected with General Van Deventer’s force. The genera] co-operation of our aeroplanes and forces has markedly im proved, thus facilitating operations. Wherever there are large gatherings of the enemy in the vicinity of our troops, the firing of red lights from aeroplanes dispersed them. The encircling movement of the Government forces is now complete, and the situation is well in hand. The eastern and western and Pretoria-Ger miston areas are to all intents and purposes out of the reckoning, so that not only has recruiting been stopped, tut considerable forces are available as reserves. Certain portions of the central area still require to be cleared up.—(Reuter.) THE END IN SIGHT. RECRUITING STOPPED. (Received 1.15 a.m.) Capetown, March 14.—1 t is officially declared that all sectors except central Johannesburg can be regarded as cleared up* Recruiting has been stop pod.—(Reuter.)