Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, DEC. 22, 1900. Christmas.

Manawatu Herald, 22 December 1900, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, DEC. 22, 1900. Christmas.

The Christmas season of Christian lands has always been associated with a time of joy and merry-making, a very old couplet putting it : —

" A Christmas play, and make good cheer,

For Christmas comes but once a year." and bearing in mind the holy associations connected with the day, it should be, if possible, made a day of happiness and thankfulness. Ever since the founding of the colony, a period of close on sixty years, excepting the few times difficulties with the Natives have arisen, the colonists have lived in peace and contentment, far removed from the turmoil of the crowded millions of the old world, so that Christmas has always been looked upon as being naturally a time of joy, except in the families of thoso where death has claimed a member; Never, however, until last Christmas have the horrors and close relationship to wav been brought home to us, and never again, may wo hope, the sickening anxiousness of Christmas 1899 ever be repeated. It was early in October that the Boers crossed the borders of the Transvaal and invaded a British colony, and also crossed the boundaries of the Orange Free State and invaded Cape Colony. The British have never been accustomed to be invaded, and the blood of Britain's sons boiled at the indignity thus placed on them. We had, however, further trials, for following quickly on the invasion of the colonies came the besieging of Ladysmith, Kimberley and Mafeking. December records many misfortunes to British arms, the reverse to General Gatacre at Stormberg, Lord Methuen checked at Maggersfontein, and General Buller defeated at tho Tugela. We had then began to learn Wat the Boers were assisted by

trained officers from the Continental armies, and that the feeling on the Continent was unanimously against us, and that the slightest sign of weakness might bring armed interuention on behalf of the Boers. The British losses up to last Christmas had totalled to 7,658 and our position was very critical. It is evident that the Christmas of 1899 was a miserable one to all in our South African colonies, and to those in tbe dear Home land, and sad, from sympathy, in every outpost of the great Empire we are all proud to belong to.

Christmas, however, opened brighter than it appeared, it was the darkest hour before the dawn, though not then perceived, as on the 15th December Lord Roberts was appointed to the supreme command, and 50,000 additional troops were ordered to the war. To those be-, seiged in Ladysmith, Kimberly, and Mafeking, the good news, if it reached them, could not benefit them, and the idea of Christmas being passed by our women and children in bombproof trenches, our hospitals shelled against all the customs of legitimate war, and our countrymen exposed to shot and shell, living on reduced rations, makes a scene in sad contrast to the pictures of laughter and good living generally drawn of this season.

It is perhaps fitting that the j change in the turn of the tide in the war in South Africa should take place at this season, as the whole object of fighting has been, first to defend our countrymen and property, and finally to secure justice and peace to the Dutch Republics. A ' twelvemonth's anxiety is now relieved, and we find that the verdict of the European Powers to be that our action has been just and that the i Boers are hopelessly defeated and that the present guerilla tactics are not justified, there being no possible end to gain. We have thus a good hope that wiser councils will prevail and our present enemies will see the , advisability of settling down as good ) colonists and members of an Empire which is ready to acknowledge their qualities, as brave and sturdy men, and under whose flag they will be cordially welcomed. Peace may then ensue for a considerable time, as the might of Great Britain having ' been demonstrated, her disinclination to fight will be remembered by our unfriendly neighbours, not as arising f iom our inability to do so, but from j our true love of peace. May the day j soon be at hand when the sound of a gun fired in anger be stilled in South. Africa, and then many thousands in t!ie world ' will ba able to hail tho approach of the Christian season in the manner most suitable for it. I This yoar we can, with more fervent hopii wish our readers