The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, MARCH 15 1902. GENERAL DELAREY

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 365, 15 March 1902, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, MARCH 15 1902. GENERAL DELAREY

A cablegram received this morning states that Lord Methuen lias been released, information having been received from Lord Kitchener to that, effect. This action is rather a tine stroke of policy for the Boers, and shows that Delarey is not only a brilliant tighter, but is a diplomatist as well, and the release of the wounded British officer will do far more for the Boer cause when the time of reckoning up comes than if he had behaved in a way that he would have been entitled to do by the fortune, or rather misfortune of rear.

The reference to General Delarcy by Lord Roberts has caused a good deal of discussion, many people having still in their minds the old accusation made against Delarcy of having countenanced the shooting of wounded men. There has since been ample evidence produced to show that the accusations were not true, though no doubt cold blooded murder was committed by men not under the direct control of ‘Uas ,, '£W to the

commend the disposition of Delarey; Our attention has heen .referred to an article which appears in the Cape 1 imes paying a tribute to the humanity of the General who has given our forces sue h a hard knock during tlie past few weeks. The following is an extract from a description of General Delarey published by Captain Thom, K.A.M.C., who made his acquaintance when a prisoner in the hands of the Boers at Lichtenburg. “He is much respected by the Boers, and is just in his dealings with the Kaffirs.' Many of tiie Field-Cornets before the war were empowered to collect taxes from the Kaffirs, When a Kaffir was unable to pay an ox of the value of £8 or £lO was seized, and sold by auction. The tax, amounting to ss, perhaps, was paid out of this, and the remainder, as a rule, found its way into the field-cornet’s pocket. De la Rey, however, seized something of about equal value to the tax owed, aqd any balance from the sale was handed bapk to the Kaffir. Frequently he would pay the debt himself.” In addition to the foregoing there is a long letter from a gentleman who was at the head of the Marico section

of Deiarey’s ambulance corps, and who had for fifteen years been a neighbor of the clever Boer general.' He goes on to state that when Captain Thom, Captain Simpson, Quarter-master Dallas, and about fifty or sixty sick and wounded men were released by Delarey, “ he came to me, and said that if I could spare my ambulance waggons t.o take some of the wounded as far as pppigrond he would be glad if 1 would do so, as the English were

short of conveyances. This I did, as did also Mr Graham, who was in charge of another ambulance section. General Delarey further returned to the three officers mentioned above the horses which bad been taken from them." The writer continues : “ When I was in charge of Delarey’s ambulance my orders'were to do. everything possible for the English wounded. It was also part of my duty to examine

the prisoners, and to relieve those who were suffering, even though it were only from sore feet. Delarey had a habit of visiting the prisoners himself, mid seeing that they had been properly attended to. The day after Moselikatze Nek affair, l had a wounded Lincoln at my ambulance, He had been taken early in the day, and handed over to me. Delarey saw him, and spoke a few words, asking the prisoner whether he was being well attended to and looked after, and was satisfied on

ills replying yes. Delarey said a few 'kind words •to him, and hoped he would soon recover. He then pulled his tobacco pouch out, and after giving the man a handful of tobacco, lie walked away ” Later on the man heard that it was Delarey who had been speaking to him, and he replied that he would have given the salute it he had known it was the great Delarey. That night the general was informed how he had been termed the

I “ great Delarey.” He smiled (states ! the writer), and in his quiet, gentle manner, said, “ We)', it 1S something to lx? called ‘ great ’ by .one’s enemies, but it is something greater to oe acknowledged good by them, Alter the Moselikatze Nek affair, Delarey on seeing the ambulance oflicer instructed him to take out a party to bury the poor fellows who had fallen, lie added • ‘-you had better superintend it yourselfyou are the only one who knows anything of the English burial service.” ' The officer replied; Im not much of a parson, and - don t know much about the English service.” Delarey looked at him with a pained expression, and said, Then you ought V» be ashamed oi yourself

I trust, however, you know tuough to he able to sav a few words that would be a comfort to their rations to hear if they were present, am that it will be a satisfaction to t.iem to know of later on ; also to beseech the Heavenly Father of those dead heroes to forgive them their trespasses. He turned on lhs heel, and left the officer feeling anything but comfortable. But the latter carried out the even to the “ few words. Ome some Boers Were silting m Delarey s tent, discussing Lord' Roberts. One of the fellows was saying that his lordship Pad done very well out oi the war, he had got an earldom, a hundred thousand pounds, the highest position m Hie British army, and a worm-wide

name- Delarey listened quietly for a long time, and then said : You gentlemen all speak of what Lord Roberts

has Rained, and seem to envy him. but do you ever think of what he has lost ? None of you have lost a son n this war, hut Lord Roberts ami 1 have, and I can sympathise with him. 1 can guarantee to say that he would willingly give tip all the honors that he has, every penny of his fortune and return again to the position of a lieutenant, aye, even to a Tommy, if by so doing he could regain his sou. lie is a Field-Marshal certainly, but he is u father also. 1 know what his feel-

ings were when he heard that his son was killed. 1 have drunk the same

hitter cup, though he lias drunk deeper than 1, for in his case he lost his only son, ai.u I have others left. It has reduced him to the position of one who has very little to live for ; his thoughts are not- of the past, and what might have been ; the future has

othing to give him that lie desires ; lie whole British nation cannot give im anything that he values, other

than their sympathy. You look at those pictures of his reception in London (we had the Graphic and other il-, lustrated papers containing these pictures), and think how nice it must be

in his place, but J tell you during it all his heart was aching, and he was thinking of a grave in this country, and saying to himself. I My son, my son, would to God that I had died for thee, my son.’ The probability is that at no time did he feel his loss more than at the time those pictures represent ; a man is never more lonely than when in a great crowd, and a popular man is usually the least joyous during a great ovat'ion in his honour.” ’ We are sure that every patriotic Britisher, though he must for the time being, let us hope it will not he for long, regard General

Delarey as an enemy, will be deeply interested in reading this tribute to his humanity, and we can be well assured that Lord Methuen and the other wounded prisoners would receive every care and attention in their illness.

GOVERNMENT VOTES. The Cook County Council are being treated in a most unfair manner in regard to the Government votes for public works in this district, and it behoves the member of the district for his own credit’s sake to look 'into the matter. In 1900 the sum of £9OOO was placed on the Estimates, and in

prospect of receiving that amount the Council entered upon a number of works and spent upwards of £2OOO. They received £O2O from the Government, and the balance of £I3BO not being forthcoming, it became a charge on the overdraft, bringing it up to £7200. The following year the Government placed oji the Estimates the sum of £IOOO, and under the ordinary course of things this money should have been available in January, but so far not a single penny has been received. The Government have a stringent regulation that all monies voted must he spent pr:or to June in each year, otherwise the vote lapses, but it is absurd to expect. local bodies

to be able to utilise the votes unless they receive them early in January or February. Portion of the money voted last’ session is to- lie expended on the Waimata, Wairoa, and Coast roads, and the work in each ease ought to be done before the wet season sets in. If the Government has not the money to fulfil their engagements in a business-like way they should be honest enough to say so, and not keep the Council in suspense in this way. We trust that the member for the district will see into the matter at once, otherwise he must as an individual representative as well as a member of the Ministry bear bis share of the responsibility of apparent mismanage-

The feeling of the public having been sounded, there is now a scurry to send forth a tentli contingent from New Zealand. Most people are quite convinces that the colony has gone quite far enough until such time as a request is made for more men, hut the fear of being termed a pro-Boer causes people to refrain from speaking their minds. The members of Parliament of course nearly all hasten to say yes, as by so doing they hope to retain their popularity,, and a general election is approaching. But the fact remains that unless the further help is desired it is time that a pause were made in the sending away of so many of our young men. To keep on doing so means much glory for a number of politicians and others, but the withdrawal of so many young men from the avocations of peace is not required, and therefore it is not desirable. The other day the Premier was boasting that New Zealand in proportion to its population had sent a vast number of men beyond what had been sent from other parts—and (we were further informed) all this unsolicited ! If there were really the need for the men we would say by all means send them, but considering 1 fiat New Zealand has already done far more than her share, that there has been no call for more men, that public works are being allowed to remain idle for want of funds, and that even young men who cannot go have their minds unsettled by the contingent fever, it is now time to stay our hands. A feeling of rampant militarism is being created throughout the colony, and the Premier, who began so well, now appears to be getting his head turned by the praise he has received from Mr Chamberlain and others. Those who are loyal to Empire and colony, but yet are quiet thinkers, are naturally becoming alarmed'at the colony being made a recruiting ground, ' with the sanction of our well-meaning Premier. It would be time enough to send a tenth contingent when we were asked for it.