CONDENSED CABLEGRAMS.

Manawatu Herald, 6 February 1902, Page 2

CONDENSED CABLEGRAMS.

The Transvaal.

IN TOUCH WITH DE WET.

A sharp engagement took place on the 25th ult. at Leeuwspruit between a portion of De Wet’s force and Colonel Garrett’s column, comprising the South African Light Horse, the New Zealanders, Queensland Bushmen and Yeomanry. ", ; * When a hundred of Wessels’s commando had rushed and driven in the rearguard of the South African Light Horse, seventy' of De Wet’s bodyguard, wearing'British cavalry cloaks, under cover of heavy rain, opened fire. Another force on a hill in the vicinity charged boldly on the Light Horse, hoping to capture their pompomThe New Zealanders, with a Maxim and a pompom, scattered the Boers when within five huqdred yards of their objective. Five of the enemy were killed, and many wounded The British loss was slight. De Wet fled up the Liebenbergvlei river.

[The Liebenbargvlei flows from near Fouriesburg, in eastern Orange River Colony, northwards to its junction with the Wilge river, near Frankfort, east of Heilbron. Throughout the greater part of its course it flows through the zone' enclosed by the Harrismith Bethlehem and’ Heilbron blockhouse lines. De Wet penetrated the Harrismith-Bethlehem line at the time of the fight at Tweefontein and the scene of the recent’ action is probably, therefore, on the portion on the portion of the Liebenbergviei south of the zone, that is, south east of Bethlehem.] THE FREE STATERS.

Except a few hundred in the south of Orange River Colony, all the Free Staters in the field are confined to the north-eastern portion of the colony. They show plenty of fight, though they are constantly hustled. Rains prevent the British co-operating columns from heliographing, i Prisoners report that a pompom killed ten Boers on the igth ult, at Liebenbergvlei. . Fourteen Boers were captured at Blaauwseschspruit. REPORTS FROM EUROPE. Queen Wilhelmina is greatly dissatisfied with Mr Kruger’s .irreconcilableness. Reports from Vienna declare that Lord Lansdowne’s reply to Dr Kuyper asserts that only unconditional surrender can be considered. . MEAT CONTRACTS.

Replying in the House of Lords to Lord Carrington, Bari’Raglan. Undersecretary for War, said he believed that last year a proportion of Argentine beef was supplied to the soldiers, but owing to the more settled outlook Lord Kitchener had now decided to widen the’area of competition. Three firms had tendered, M. Bergl and Co.'s offer being the lowest. There are no grounds for the protests from the colonies. Everything that could reasonably be expected had been done to encourage the use of colonial meat. Lord Stanley, Financial Secretary, states that M. Bergleand Co. informed the War Office that a number of prominent South African firms were providing a capital of half a million to work the meat contract.

Lord Stanley believed that Wernher, Beit and Co., the South African capitalists, were not connected with the scheme.

Lord Raglan said before the contract was finally clinched and, he understood, before the colonial protests were received, the contractor gave a written undertaking to give Australasia preference as far a:possible. If the prices were reasonable Australia should furnish the bulk of tb ’ requirements. *

Lord Carrington is pressing his in* quiries further. AN IRISH PEER KILLED. Major the Earl of Munster, of the Royal Scots, was accidentally killed at Kroonstad. ARMOURED TRAINS IN collision. A collision occurried between two armoured trains at Burghersdorp. Five soldiers were killed and five injured. . , MISCELLANEOUS. Mr Steyn’s bodyguard, numbering 30, is between Bethlehem and Reitz, in the north-east of Orange River Colony. Public feeling in Capetown deprecates the patching up of peace for the sake of the Coronation. To grant an amnesty to rebels would, it is considered, prove the severest blow ever administered to Australian and Canadian trust in Britain. Latests CAPTURE OF A LAAGER, Colonel Price captured Bester’a laager at Plaarfontein. Three of the enemy were killed, including. Commandant Vangyl. DEkWET’S MEETING POSTPONED. , ' The movement executed by Colonels Byng and Garrett prevented Da Wet’s intended meetings on the 30th, and the Boers are dispersing in the direction of Reitz. ATTACKING A SUPPLY TRAIN. A supply train was held up and partly burnt ip the Cradock district, WEEKLY RETURNS. Lord Kitchener's weekly report is as follows: —Twenty-nine Boers killed, six wounded and forty-two prisoners captured, forty-eight surrenderors. ADVICE TO KRUGER, Many Continental papers are changing their tone towards England. The Vienna Montage Zeitung sarcastically advises Kruger to try his fortunes in the field. THE GERMAN SLANDERS. The Mayor of Capetown has invited the Cape Mayors to arrange a public meeting to repudiate the Continental slanders on the army and to express confidence in Mr Chamberlain. LOYAL ADDRESSES. Replying to the loyal addresses of prominent members of the Afrikander Bond, including the clergy, Sir Hely Hutchinson, Governor of the Cape states it is in the power of the Duch pastors to materially contribute to peace. t