BOER WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 212, 1 November 1900, Page 4

BOER WAR.

BOMBABDIER Perov Bayly, o! the New Zealand Battery, R.A.R. Field Force, writing from Mafeking on the 9th alt., to his father, who resides at .Devonport. says :—"I enclose you a few ' siega papers,' which are very hard to procure, as every relic of the siege has been snappsd up by money-making people, and it is hard to get even a pieo of shell. Carriagtoa has all the Fourth and Fifrh with bim, and is seeing a bit of lighting out Zeernst way. Most of the lighting Is simply gairella warfare, but tho colonials can play that game too. The other day five of the Southland Fourth struck saven of the Boers, and a regular sniping match took p'aoe. The New Ztalanders killed fire of them, and caught the other two after they were wounded. Our boys sot ofl ecoO free I saw the same two Bwr/i in the fi.:'d hospital here; one of them had a hole right through his neck, and tho other has no less tban five wounds. They seem quite contented with their lot, and oaly heard 10 days ago that Pretoria w»s taken, so it proves tow three Boer j commanders boidwink the Boers in 1 regard to war news; not half of them know bow matters stand, or tbey would return home. Lard Mefchuen has been here with his troops, and they have ha r l rather a hard time in chasing De Wet, who has several times escaped narrowly, being forced to leave waggons, carts, and baggage behind. Methuen lost a lot of horses on the marcb, and had to procure 800 remounts when he arrived here. All his troops are fond of him, and ha looks after tbem like a father, and has earned bii name back again. They have stat tad now to burn all the Boers' houses, etc, belonging to thise in the babit of spying and helping the Boera." Referring to the country, Bombardier says:—" I have seen r. o »trractioa here so fsr. I think that anyone getting £4 a week here would be bolter cfl in New Zealand with £2 per week,"