THE BOER WAR.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 25 March 1901, Page 4

THE BOER WAR.

Botha and the Peace Proposals.

[I!Y ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. —COPYRIGHT.]

(per press association.)

London, March 22,

A Blue Book dealing with the negotiations with Botha shows that Lord Kitchener refused to discuss the question of the independence of the Republics and explained tho proposed political administration, which seemed to satisfy Botha when convinced that immediate representative Government was impossible.

The terms offered include the replacement of a military Crown colony administration by a representative element and ultimately self-government, the Dutch and English languages to be allowed in schools" and law courts as an act of grace. The Government will devote a million to repayment of goods commandeered by the Republican Governments. Sir A. Milner and Mr Chamberlain modified Lord Kitchener’s proposals sent to Botha on the 7th. Groat Britain required the complete cessation of hostilities, the surrender of all rifles, cannon, ammunition and munitions of war, and offered an amnesty to the Boers for honafido acts of war, the prisoners to be repatriated as quickly as possible ; the farmers on taking the oath of allegiance to be assisted by a loan to repair injuries to buildings and losses of stock. No special war tax to be imposed on farmers or burghers taking the oath, 20!) of Do Wet’s and Fourie’s foraged burghers surrendered voluntarily near Dewetsdorp. 110,000 sheep and 10,000 horses were captured.

Lord Kitchener warned Botha that the terms of peace will bo cancelled if not accepted. It is intended to send 1000 Boer prisoners to Madras and Bombay respectively. The modified proposals sent to Botha provided that licenses to retain military firearms, where necessary, for protection against natives shall be issued, licenses also to bo granted for sporting rifles. The Kaffirs not to bo enfranchised before representative Government, and never to an extent to endanger the whites in their predominance. The legal position of colored people to be similar to that in the ' Cape. Lord Kitchener confirmed the capital sentence passetHou Dejaogcrs, a burgher of Harrismith, for killing three natives, one of them in a most cold-blocdo 1 manner. Dcjacgers was executed. General Hamilton secured 00 prisoners in Ladybrand district. Do Wet unearthed at Serekal two of Commandant Prinsloo’s guns, London, March 94. In the House of Commons Mr Cnamberlain stated that Botha raised no specific objections to Kitchener’s terms, but expressed strong objections against Sir A. Milner.