The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, FEBRUARY 6, 1902. DEFAMER KUYPER.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 334, 6 February 1902, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, FEBRUARY 6, 1902. DEFAMER KUYPER.

A correspondent /or whom we have tht3 greatest respect, and who we know, though desirous of seeing peace brought about in South Africa, is as loyal a man as ever breathed, writes d to us asking “ why it is that so little d attention was paid to the efforts of Dr. Kuyper, the Premier of Holland to bring about peace.” Our corress P Wj dent expresses the opinion that a i great opportunity has been lost. Evidently he does not know his Kuyper, and we will disillusionise our friend,' . Wil ° ? lay 1,a PP ell to be wtongiy impressed as he has been Certainly Kuyper has sought to play the part of the Dutch Mercury. As it happens a writer in the Christchurch Press has been looking up the man’s record, and his conclusion is that Kuyper would he as well fitted to play . the part of Dutch Mercury as a Hottentot Venus is qualified to represent the ideal of female beauty. No won-

der the English House of Commons is not sanguine of the results, as the cables state. Neither is it wonderful jf the Premier of Holland went over to England incognito, as reported. His life would have hardly been safe m the streets without police protection. The writer proceeds It is well enough known in England, though it may not be known here, that Dr Kuyper is an ardent disciple of Dr Leyds whom he quotes with admiration, and is a most reckless and venomous defamer of the English soidier in South Africa. It is most distasteful to go into the phase of the subject, but ap-

parently it is necessary to do so. Among other writings he contributed U one of the best known Paris periodicals, an article in which he asset led that English soldiers habitually kept “ harems ” of Boer girls, whom they prevented from escaping by means of Kaffir guards, by whom, as well as by their English masters, they were subjected to the uttermost form of outrage. This statement lie founded on the alleged affidavit, which he had not seen, of certain girls in hospital at Pretoria, who declared they had escaped from one of “ these seraglios,” and had been obliged to apply fer admission to the hospital because they were suffering from loathsome diseases 'guptraefed by contagion from the British sdldiers. He also goes on to say that the prevalence of such diseases among the English soldiers and the English people was so wide as to affect about 50 per cent, of the army at least. For this reason, he alleges, that, the medical men in the Transvaal

tc the number of 250, strongly protested against the annexation of the Republics by Great Britain. They “ thought little of the plague at Louveoco Marques ” compared with the ci,-eases which the English army would bring in its train. It is very iepulsive to have to mention these things, but it is well that the British ppopla should have some faint idea of the depths to which our Continents! detainers descend. Tlie worst cannot be quoted, and in this respect, to adapt Macaulay, they are protected frt in handling like the skunk, by

their own noisomeness. Kuyper. in l-is attacks, goes on to say that even it iV arms of England should prevail, so rapidly does tire Boer race increase that liefore very many years, hy mere natural increase of population, "the Lioness of the Transvaal, surrounded hy her numerous brood of whelps, shall once more roar defiance to the arms of England from the topmost peak of

the Drakensberg.’' in ail this (adds the Press) there is no sign of the temper or quiet coinnion-sen.se that should be tile chief qualifications of it mediator. Unfortunately many of the good people who desire peace do not understand the great care that has to Ire taken in dealing with men like Kuyper, which is very different to meeting one or more of the fighting men for a conference as to honorable terms of peace. Lord Lansdowne’s reply, as given in our cablegrams this morning, is a snub to people who deserve to be snubbed, and it is a dignified, wise, and reasonable reply to any overtures that may be made by the men in the field. Lord Lansdowne lias taken advantage of the opportunity to make a statement that will give tne men in the field the cue they require if they have any genuine desire for peace.