BOER WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 72, 19 March 1902, Page 3

BOER WAR.

THB MISHAP, MQRH fAKTVjtJLARS OF THK FIGHT. FUt PKKSB ASSOCIATION, Received 19,0.3 am. London, March 18. The Standard, describing Lord iiethuen's . capture, states that the dtoers formed five lines and galloped etraightattherearguard. They were first lighted four miles away. The Imperial Yeomanry and Ashbarnam's Horse opened fire at fourteen hundred yards. The Boers replied henvily while ehargiog with splendid murage. Their wings tried to encircle the re-rrnnrrt. TThe Diamond Fields Horse and (Scouts helped to check the charge until the Boers, heedless of the hot fire, made a •desperate rush, fairly stampeding the mounted men, who fled in a blind panic. Tha unprotected Artillery fired coolly and steadily until all were shot. Meanwhile the infantry and a section of the 4th Ba'tory kept tike Boe*&' attaching right flank at a distance of six hundred yards. The Boers finally dismounted and lay down. Lord Mathuen, failing to collect the mounted men, galloped buck to the guns, encouraging tha gunners with voice and gesture. He was a conspicuous target for the concentrated Boer fire, and his hprse was hit in three places.

One by one the pinners fell, until -when Commandant Colliers shelled the kml surrender was inevitable.

WAK OFBICK CONTRACTS. * SPIRITED DEBATE IN THE Received 19,0.37 ».m. London, March 18 In tba House of Commons, Sir H. Campbell-BannermaD, in moving the appointment of a committee of inquiry into Army meat contracts, stated that yluring the war oat of £130,500,000 expended in transport, remonctg, provisions and clothing, £120,000,000 pawed through the bands of middlemen and contractors. Twelve millions were spent on remounts. Certain vested interests were backed by powerful financiers, who apparently quartered themselves upon the War Office. Houlder Bros, seemed to monopolise certain classes of transport. Enlightenment was needed respecting the meat contracts, as to whether there was collusion betwesn two competitors. Mr Labouchere accused the Government of paying rubbishy prices for Queensland horses, and receiving rubbishy animals. He strongly attacked the Houlders, and described Bergl as a mere dummy.

Hon St. John Bodrick said be was quite prepared for an inquiry at an opportune time. At present it would be detrimental to the public interests to hamper the conduct of the war. Neither the Government nor the War Offi'e had done anything it need.be ashamed of, though he admitted there hiid b«n some mistakes. It was unwise to believe newspaper gossip, or the cock-and-bull stories of di««ppointfld contractors. H« accused Sir H. CampbellBannerman of leaving the supply of i artillery so inadequate that if they h«d gone to war in 1895, they would hare been obliged to clear out of South Africa after three months. The debate was adjourned. RWHFOBOBMBNTS FOB SOUTH AFBIOA. Received 19,0.55 a m. London, March 18. The troopship Manchester Merchimt has arrived at Durban with detachments of the Commonwealth Contingent aboard. Within thn n»xt month 10,000 troops are to leaT»-lDuglaiTjfe^TOtb^Africa.

NINTH CONTINGENT. Asckujtd, March 18. The North Islard Battalion of th« Ninth Contingent will leave A ucklacd for South Africa to-morrow afternoon. The troopship to convey the force arrived to-day. The mayor wishes tho citizens to close their place s of business' during the afternoon, and the Government offices will all be closed.

In all, 557 horses will go in the v troopship, theo9ic«rß!\nd men numbert inj; upwards of 600. The mm will steep in hammocks slung on to the deck beams above th r m. The horses were embarked to-d'.y Oapt&in Poscawnn's The Premier and Major General B >bington arrived to-day, aud inspected the cr.mp. The Premier ha* notified the following changes ot officers of the North Island Battalion : Sureeon-Captain

Murray retires j Lieutenant Woods of Sixth is promoted to captain in the Ninth ; Quartermaster-Sergfant Hawkesby proraoted to lieutenant oil the recommendation of the officer commanding.

TENTH OONTIHGEST. Mr Barton wired Mr Seddon that le noticed New Zealand wis sending another contingent, and th the Commonwealth wbs ever ready to send farther assistance Wellington, March 18. Major Pilcher wires from Cape Town that Privates Armstrong, Cunningham, Fraatr and Heley, who are in the hospital, are doing well,