African Affairs.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 March 1922, Page 1

African Affairs.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. REBELLION AFTERMATH. CAPETOWN, March 18. It is officially stated, that the casualties of the' Union defence force, and South Africa police were 42 killed or died of wounds, 251 wounded. 5 missing. Civilians, died of wounds 6; wounded 93. This list does not include the whole casualties on the Government side. The latest authoritative news from the Rand states the strike was definitely over at midnight. The miners are obtaining all the men they require. They will take on as many as possible, hut the native labour supply is short and at some mines the lower levels are under water. Various acts of sabotage committed during the strike, tend to delay the full resumption of operations. The men are returning on the Chamber of Mines terms but the promise of Government to appoint, an impartial Board presided over by a Judge, to investigate the situation, holds. Government military operations were continued in various Johannesburg suburbs yesterday when soldiers searched each street, making a house to house inspection. It is stated this combing.out process will he applied to the whole of Johannesburg and suburbs. After a short running fight, fifty rebels were captured by mounted rifles in the northern area. There is a general stampede hack to work. The Mine Workers Union passed a resolution dissociating the organisation from the revolution set up without their knowledge or consent, under cover of the real strike issue, and repudiating and condemning such unwarranted act ion. The Mine Workers’ Union has a membership of over twenty-one thousand. The strike lasted seventy-six days on the coalfields, sixty-seven on the ,gold-fields and there were eleven days* of the so-called general strike.

BACK TO NORMAL. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) CAPETOWN. March 20,

Indications of the return to normal conditions on the Rand are afforded by Mr Smuts’ 1 return to Capetown. Efforts arc being made to replace native labour in the mines as speedily as possible.

THE LOSSES CAUSED. CAPETOWN, March 20

It is estimated the damage to* property on the Rand during the revolution was a million. A considerable proportion was due to looting. It is estimated that Lloyds will lose threequarters of a. million, while they probably received a quarter of a-, million premiums oil lost insiiTfinc©.

UNSETTLING EFFECTS. ‘'Received This Day at 8 a.m.) CAPETOWN. March 20,

As illustrating the unsettling effects of the revolutionary upheaval on country opinion, it now transpires that at n ' meeting held at Brantfort near Bloemfontein, a Free State proposal was made to raise a commando and proceed to .Johannesburg and stop further bloodshed .which the Speaker alleged was flowing in the interest of the Chamber of Mines. The proposal was onlv abandoned when the news was received that hostilities had ceased.

A MEMORIAL SERVICE. •Received This Day at 8 a.mA CAPETOWN. March A>. A week ago Johannesburg resounded with the noise of battle. To-day. a memorial son-ioc in honour of the fallen I,croon 0-00 heM in front of the Town Hall. All units which quelled the rebellion were represented. The first relaxation of martial lav i the Central area is that the curfew hour is extended to nine instead ot onlv Union concerned which has not vet called off the strike, is the Amalgamated Engineers’ Union, dn to the difficulties of balloting in East Rand, hut, it is anticipated the difficulties will he immediately removed.