SIR BARTLF, FRERE.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 November 1923, Page 3

SIR BARTLF, FRERE.

In hi- "l.ilo ol Sir Ikii Go Erere” Mr \V. Basil AYorsfohl has set himself to vindicate a lepiitainui to which a wholly mi.deserved reproach ha-. ;Ut;e Illicit. a- High Commissioner of South Africa in the late 'seventies, he exceeded hi- 1 n- 1 met ions, and piecipit :led an iiniiocessary war with the /ulus in which disaster oveilonk Ikitish aims. As a r. stilt Reaeoiisiicld addressed to him a despatch of chsiite. ot which Air Vfersinhl sav- : “‘por i v nical iu(iiliercmc to the truth it stands alone S, far a- my leading so, yes me- -among 11,. ii a I (oivei'iimcnt in Die nineteenth <cm 111 y. Hut. '..nil Dll- mil of hi licei .-> Ill; j llhii'hed ciirrcslioliileiK-e. Mr Will - iolil shows that ihmiighi.il! Fn-re acted Du- knowledge and eoiiseni ol Dahome aat I o u'i lic -, and that be nieielv ( ai-ried out the policy which had been laid down for him l.y the C.-lonia! Cilice. The po-ition was i lull the TmiNv.mil had teeeinly been annexed, and there was considerable L'ding between luiid lit ,-r. There w;o a|s , Dm Zulu J ■,,, jI. (clewayo. coiitideiil Dial his im- | is were invincible, was threatening the Trausva d. The res; oiisihilitv lor t'e I ,-otect ion O', the distfi. t - eimeei nod |,-iv with l lie 15: it ish C'ivcrnnieiii. D ,i h.'i-.l doll" not lung the'e w o'thl eer-,,l-deis I'rnin the Colonial s Fir Alieliaol I licks Rea- It ih,ter 1III! St. Aldv.yu), required him in eii'e-i to oiler Cetevayn the < hoii e I -tv: nieediug hi- way- and tight m-g. Witi, a monarch of ( o m’- arrogant di-; "-at ion this meant that war win inovitaMe. Fl l ie's despatches In tile hoiiai Clbme mad" ihu l ci-i.-'-tly clear leit Ids actions were repeatedly oud-1— r ,| [a the end the home authoiiiie-app-ear to have had some misgivings. They declined that, in view ol the disturbed si’ nation in the Neat’ burnt, and the f o-sihilitv "f a eiiidliet with Russia, they hoped that a Zulu war would be avoided. Hut there v.as „„ cable to tlm Cap-' then ; c.unmumca-•'■-ns were shoe and events had moved m mr.idlv that a withdrawal was out of the question. Fro re haul already, m pursuance of the lormer p-nliey. d'-m----the lilt inn turn to Cetewa.Mi. nuib believing that with the small ioree ;u -he disniisa! of the Rnti-h. the best strategy was to attack tin- Zulu- in their own country helore tnev eio— n the Tugela. had sent troops to Natal. Then followed various tactical mistake- on the nari "1 the British e nuuuiud. which culminated m the biack ,j Jlv „f If-nndhLvana. Reiuloreemeuts we're hurried out from England am. m -ix months ih- Zulu army was destroyed. Rut a scapegoat was wanted, ami F'-,.|-c was the convenient one. Illexperience, as Mr AYorsford points out. furnishes yet another example ->t R>e wav in which soldiers and admiuisti.itors are callously sa.-niied to coneea the errors of judgment m the I ”htici.ms. Had Erere chosen he eou.i, then have instilled himselt theie atm then. He lmd de-pat,he- Iron. Mr Alieael Hieks-Beaeh endorsing, step b.\ step, what he had done. I noy ven d have enabled him quite conelusu e! v to refute the charge of di.-oWdienco to orders. But these documents were “confidential.” and Erere. out of a lngh sense of personal honor, ret used to make use of them. Hence his vindication had to wait until the publication or these letters was authorised by Lady St Aldwyn more than 40 years later.

SIIEATH FROCKS. LONDON, September T 9. With the vogue of the sheath-dress, women will have Id cultivate a now walk, according to a well-known fashion expert. ■■The loose chemise frock- mten wont on (ar-etle-s figures encouraged lreedom of gait." she -aid yesterday, "and this niu-t be modified to show oil to advantage the closely fitting ‘sheath.’ ••Shorter sti'l s. hip- well under control. ami more dignity are required, and their acquisition will prepare women for the return of the ’hobble." should it come in ledity and net only in effect.” WOMAN AUCTIONEER. LONDON. Sept. 19. A woman auctioneer, .Miss Amy (Vo-sley, held her first public auction at Alderlcy E.dge. Cheshire, yesterday. Will'll a motor-cycle wa.-, put up for sale she left the instrum, and, mounting the mat bine, rede it along the road to demon-irate its rapacities.