CABLE NEWS. CIVIL WAR.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 March 1922, Page 2

CABLE NEWS.

CIVIL WAR.

AFRICA IN TURMOIL.

V—ynl Y ilfci'lWUAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION

CAPETOWN, March 10. A Johannesburg message says that, a report from Benoni states that commenced early in the morning there round the Workers’ Hall. Several casualties occurred on both sides, and also ajnong spectators'. F|oot pblice ad voiced up several streets. Firing also occurred on a plantation near the lake on the outskirts of the town, and it continued for two hours. The ambulances were busy.

At nine o’clock aeroplanes arrived, and scouted in various directions. They fired warning flares. They wore greeted by scattered shots. Three of them circled over the Workers’ Hall, and v *t one ove r the lake, sniping being continued.

There was a rattling fire of Lewis guns from the aeroplanes set up It had a quietening effect Protests are arriving from native bodies in all parts of the Union, protesting against attacks by strikers on the natives of the Rand Several strike leaders, including members of the Federation E ; x e cutive, have been arrested.

The Durban Light Infantry have left Durban for an unknown destination, but presumably the strike area. At Cape Town regiments of th© Defence Force have been warned to be

in readiness. . . The death-roll on the Government side now amounts to twenty-five.

This morning there was an attack as the result of a pre-arranged plan for an attack on police and mine officials, some of whom were murdered in cold Jood. A signal for the risings was given by explosions all along the reef. Brakpan is already virtually in the hands of the strikers. The Benoni strikers were mobilised under the pretence that a native rising was expected. The p'pst’ (office (and Court House were attacxed, but the strikers were beaten off.

1/he strikers, apparently are well umeef with rifles, machine-guns are installed in the .Workers’ Hall. The nefivs is confirmed; that Mr Brodigan, mine manager, and six other special constables were killed in an attack one a mine guard A later message says that the police have taken possession of the Town Hall and Trades Hall at Benoni The martial ■ law. proclamation has been received with much satisfaction.

Fighting has taken place at Bards•urgh. It is reported that a- policeman as killed and four wounded- Tw c lve strikers were wounded.

Fighting is also reported in Newhnds, a native township near Johan•esburg. The strikers there captured u ('iity-i-.cven police and threatened to shoot them if the other police si:;round them. A military captain in an aeroplane is reported to have been shot in the 3enoni fighting, b,ut the pilot and ma■hine escaped. Stringent martial law regulations are tow published, including a censorship of the post and telegraphs and a proibition of picketing.

SMUTS SUPPORTED BY THE BURGHERS. CAPETOWN, March 10. In the course of a statement in the 'nion Assembly, General Smuts said hat the Government were most relucant to declare martial law, but the situation on the Rand was so grave that t had no choice. Fighting was how aging over a large part of the Rand, vith heavy casualties. The House and he country must lie prepared for loodshed on a scale not anticipated >efore Their duty was to see the business through, and not allow the ountry to fall into a state of anarchy. An attack was begun in a regular fighttig stylo, as if it was war. The railwaym’en had been pulled from theirduties. Women and children had been maltreated. The natives were in a state of turmoil. lie emphasised that the natives had offered not the least provocation. AH the statements made to the contrary

were incorrect. General Smuts appealed to the House and the country to support the Government- in re-establishing public au thority. He said the Burghers had been called upon to come to their aid. There was no doubt whatever about their political feelings. They would respond and stand by the Government. Mr Boydell, the abour Leader, asked the Premier to get the Chamber of Mines in a suitable frame of mind to meet the men and to effect a settleent.

The Speaker ruled that they could not have a debate on the strike. The Labourites endeavoured to move the adjournment, but they were defeated by 83 to 13, the Nationalists for the first time voting with the Government

FURTHER PARTICULARS.

CAPETOWN, March 11.

The papers describe the situation on the Rand as one of civil war. They say the amazing features are the number and discipline of the strikers and the extent to which they are armed. The whole circumstances point to the rising having been carefully planned. Official communiques etate the situation last night was very serious, but that it must assume a different aspect shortly, when all the Government reinforcements are briught into action. A concentration of Government forces is now proceeding rapidly. Large numbers of troops will soon be available. Recruiting is stated to be good; but many citizens do not yet realise the seriousness of the situation. The total casualties are unknown, but it is estimated they are nix hundred, whereof eighty are believed to have been killed. Benoni Trades Hall has been demolished by an aeroplane bomb. It is believed that a considerable number of strikers were defending the hall, including some members of the Executive of the Industrial Federation, and that they were killed The suburbs of Fordsburg, and Newlands are in the hands of the revolutionaries The Fordsburg st’rikejrs’ commando is entrenched behind a barricade with machine guns. A strikers’ attack on Auckland Park failed, The strikers attacked a small

force holding Ellis Park, but the latter maintained their position.' Details of yesterday’s engagement at Benoni between the strikers and the Transvaal Scottish Regiment show that four, were killed and nineteen wounded.

A motor squadron has been formed there comprising one thousand ex-ser-vicemen to cope with the outbreak. It is stated tine revolutionaries there

possess less than one thousand rifles; F but others are armed with shot-guns and revolvers.

The greatest indignation has been aroused over the reported murder of an officer and two men in a Brakpan mine, whom it is alleged the strikers captured and shot in cold blood. A general strike has been proclaimed at Durban. The water, light and power for the trams have been declared essential services by the Government. A s general response to the strike is regarded as unlikely. The engine-drivers, firemen and boiler makers have already refused to join. The East London Trades Unionists have also decided not to down tools. Pretoria reports the position there is normal.

The publicatin of a. new Nationalisi newspaper supporting the strike, has been stopped.

NARRATIVE OF the fighting CAPETOWN, March 12

Reuter’s Cape Town correspondent, describing the earlier fighting, says Benoni was awakened by an exchange of shots in the Market Square. There was fierce street fighting wherein the sightseers got mixed up despite warnings. Thousands of spectators flocked whenever there was trouble. For two hours the Market Square to the Workers Hall was a. war area. Every now and then a bullet found a billet. People in the crowd dropped killed and wounded. Ambulances pluckily carried out their work. Meantime the Workers Hall was strengthening its defences with sand-bags, while it kept tip a fusilade. It is alleged the trouble was started by some strikers potting at a police cyclist, detachment, and wounding a native constable. The new fighting broke out north-east of Johannesburg, the Putfontem commando firing across a. lake on the police and the Fordsburg commando started an attack in the town itself. Fighting continued, during the night, but the crowds cleared. No one was allowed in the streets. The reports of the casualties are conflicting. It is understood nineteen police and thirty civilians have been killed, and 18 police and 21 civilians wounded. 1 Another report states that the Transvaal Scottish Regiment was ambushed at Benoni. and eighteen of them were killed and twenty-five wounded. The heaviness of their losses were due to . attempts to assist stricken comrades, j Reinforcements extricated those am- I Reinforcements extricated those ambushed from a desperate position. Lieut. V. Brodign.n (who was not a mine manager, as previously reported), was killed at Brakpan. 1 Latest reports state the commandos from the central area, are now concentrating, a pparently with if view to taking possession of Johannesburg liefoie the Burghers, under Generals Blitz and Deventre, tan arrive with reinforcements. The strikers have burned Fordsburg police station. i

LABOUR COMMANDO CAPTURES

POLICE

CAPETOWN, March 10

According to a report from lands, a commando of strikers, numbering from twelve to twenty hundred, attacked the police there at seven in the morning. Reinforcements were sent hut they were ambushed and driven off by rifle and bomb fire. Several of the natives were killed. A squadron of mounted police then arrived on the scene. Negotiations were opened with commando leaders, under the white flag. It is reported that threats have been made that if the police attempt to force the position, nil those captured will he killed. A later message says the police appear to have established superiority at Fordsburg, though the position there is uncertain. It was Captain Carey Thomas who was shot dead in the aeroplane at Benoni. There also have been eleven police killed and fifteen wounded. A lieut. and eight “special” constables have been killed at link pun, and also a sergeant, of the Mounted Rifles. A Transvaal Scottish regiment occupied the Benoni Town Hall. A column of strikers in Pretoria was ordered to disperse by the police, and did so without demur. The Governmen have called out several more units of the Defence forces and also a large number of country commandos.

CONDITION IMPROVING. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) CAPETOWN, March 12.

An official report to-night states the position is much better than yesterday. The newspaper “Star” states the police are using machine guns in Newlands area where the commandos linked up with Vrcdorp and Fordsburg forces, thus forming a line of two miles from Johannesburg., About one hundred were arrested in the town yesterday.

Railways were blown up in a number of places. Several areas, including the far East rand, are out ol communication. The task of the police and volunteers is immensely difficult, owing to the conditions of street ingIt is reported, Roose, a nationalist Leader in the Transvaal has offered his services to Government to do anything possible to terminate hostilities.

HEAVY FIGHTING, ißeceived This Day at 11.30 a.in.) CAPETOWN, March 12. The situation at Johannesburg is well in hand The springe at Brakpan were taken' by Government Burgher force. Benoni is holding out, but the Government position is good. Krugersdorp is in possession of the Government Burgher forces. Three thousand rebels are located entrench cd at Newbiiids and were bombed by aeroplanes. The forces are converging on Fordsburg.

A communique states the rebels are most ihctiVe. Considerable lighting took place and the planes were active all day. Rebels started burning houses at Benoni and Boksburg, in retaliation for bombing. Ail machines are pow carrying bombs, in order to take

advantage of commandos discovered- in the open or plantations. Commandos were successfully bombed twice, suffering severely in an attack on Ellis Park. One hundred and thirty imperial light horse put up a. splendid fight, chasing the revolutionists into the side streets. They killed or wounded many and sixteen were taken prisoner, including the Chairman of the local Strike Committee. Government casualties were five killed and fifteen wounded.

While the rebels gained minor advantages at first, a considerable force is now at Government's disposal.

OFFICIAL ACTION

A SERTOUS POSITION

'Received This Day at 11.30 a.in.) CAPETOWN, March 12

Official Government forces have commenced planned operations against the> strikers in the central area. In Rrixton area where the Reds are surrounding two police squadrons, they were heavily bombed, causing a large number of casualties. Many Reds surrendered and others took refuge in the native location.

A commando, 500' strong, in a plantation near new Kleinfontein, were also bombed.

Operations in Benoni and Brakpan areas under General Vandeventer, are proceeding satisfactorily. General Britz is moving along the railway in the eastern area. It is now ascertained that a few officials forming a guard at Brakpan mine were clubbed to death after surrendering, when their ammunition was exhausted.

MR SMUTS IN CHARGE (Received This Dav at- 12.25 p.m.) CAPETOWN, March 12

Mr Smuts arrived at Johannesburg after an exciting journey The wheel of his motor car w«s hit b|V a bullet. He took charge immediately on arrival. His presence hag given the greatest satisfaction at a critical juncture. He immediately sti-engthened and co-ordi-nated- the forces to oppose the revolutionary menace which is attempting to plunge Witwaterand into a chaos of terror and and anarchy.

SERIOUS BLOODSHED

OVEIR 100 KIIjLFD’.

(Received This Day at 12.25 p.m.) CAPETOWN, March 12.

Krugersdorp reports the situation is satisfactory rations supplies were dropped from aeroplanes to detached police forces, besieged by revolutionaries. Other reports give details of the fight at Newlands police station on Friday. It was defended by fifty eight men and attacked in overwhelming numbers. Telephonesi were cut and there was no means of securing support, the attackers Jhrew bombs over the roofs of houses into thn station and kept up a hot fusilado to which the defenders replied. The fit?ht continued for 1} hours before the defend ers surrendered When news of the fight reached the town, a motor lorry with forty men was despatched, hut drove into a carefully prepared ambush. A pitched battle ensued. A doctor arrived under the white flag and whil ■ this was flying the rebels rushed in and further fighting followed, during whicii several police escaped, hut thirty five were surrounded. Eventually an armi ■ stiee was arranged and the fighting censed.

It is estimated during Saturday’s fighting over one hundred were kill ed.

General Vanderventer bolds supreme command of Government forces. The Burghers response to the call for volunteers has been most satisfactory. No

forces are being commandeered. Boer commandos are mustering at Rnigersdorp. It is reported one Boer was murdered by strikers 'in cold blood. After arrival of this news there was increased bitterness of B°ers towards the strikers. Other commandos are expected to-day. Meanwhile the erection of barricades is proceeding. British volunteers are enrolling in large numbers.