CABLE NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue XXIV, 20 March 1902, Page 2

CABLE NEWS

Br Elbotbio Tslbosaph,—uorraiaHi BOER'wAR • GKNKRAL ITEMS. PES PBBSS ASSOCIATION. London, March 18. The Boers who invaded Natal have recrossed the Drakensbergs. General Be» Yiljoen considers the British Artillery now fires fifty tim«s better than at the beginning of the war.

The transport Custodian his arrived [at Durbtn with further dstachmen sof the Commonwealth Contingent. Lord Kitchener, acting on his experience in the Soudan, has at lived at the conclusion 'lmt an extension if the South Afrioin tail way will lu.toiially aid in th' su'jugation of the *nttmy, und ha h a applied that tlm sum of £835,000 may be placid at his Jupowl for this service.

1 His intnnti'.m is to cons'.! uct branch railway lints in various pu is t»f tha country, making a line to joiu the Na'al Government railway at Harricmith to the Nethwlaud* lino at Winburg. Ex'en-ive additions ate also tj be made in thn Pietersburg district. The Oaiuruunder-in-Chicf in South Africa estimates t!n> el. £335,000 for material and £500,000 for construction.

Tho scheme having beer approved by t!:a Homo authorities the money his been placud to tha credit of the t-'outh African authorities and the work of cods rucliou will te c mweoc.d forthwith.

Received 19, 9.50 p.m. London, M»rch 19.

Uaptain M. Join*, of the Sixth New Zealand Mou\.teds, isconval. kc nt, and has resumed duty.

KITCHENER'S WEEKLY JIKPORT.

IMPORTANT BOER LEADER OAPfUBED. Received 19, 10.50 p.a>. London, March 19. L«4 KHctoaw'a weekly report gtatw

•that eleven Boers were killed, seven ( ■wounded, 158 taken priiooera, and 106 j (Surrendered. I General Brace Hamilton surprised a commando on the 15th inst. at Ngothi Basin, killing four, capturing six, and wounding seventeen. Those captured unwounded includ* General Cherrey Emmett, Botha's brotber-in-law, whom Lord Kitchener •describes as an important leader. the army •contracts DEBATE. 1

MBTMVEN PROGRESSING FAVOUK- i ABLY. Received 20,0.1 S a.m. London, Maich 19. In the Commons Sir H. CampbellTBannerman's motion for an inquiry lipto the Army contracts was negative ! £y 346 vo ir to 191. The Nationalise •and Koeeberyitea voted with the minority. . Mr Asquith admitted that Lord \ Kitchener would be a necessary witness , in connection with the cold storage j contracts. He argued that precedents , justified the demand for an immediate | inquiry, though be was confident that s British officers' hon ur was untar- ( cishtd.

Mr. Balf( ur replied with unusual warmth, and siid a full inquiry was impolitic and impossible «t present, flfhen such an inquiry was made it would fihow the Army was never so well fed, clothed, and horsed as it is to-day. An inquiry would now be worth five thous nd reinforcements to the enemy. Lord Methueo is progressing satisfactorily. Tbe Boers admit three hundred casuilties at Tweeboach, though only elevea were seen dead near the British lines.

THS SITUATION IMPROVING. Received 20, I.S a m. London, March 19. The Standard is responsible for the "reported Boer admission as to the number of tbeir casualties at Tweeboscb. Lord KitcheDer states there are already sufficient troops in Western Traasvaal to deal effectually with tbe situation. BOXRB IN KHAKI. London, Ma;c\ '9. In the Commons the Hop. St Jehn Br drick tiid that Bsers captured in fir. ish uniform were liable to be courtmavtialled and shot. Lord Kitcherer had execu' ed tome for this offence. THB WORK OF "THB BKVBNTH." Wellihgtos, March 19. Colonel Porter, commanding the Seventh Contingent, in & cable mewage to the Premier dated Cape Town, March 18th, says:—" Engaged in successive drives in Orange Colony. The strain on the men was hard and continuous The reginrnt captured De Wet's guns and received thanks. On the 24th they, with gr«at gallantry, repulsed a large force of the enemy daring a midnight attack. They were specially piraded and tbanked ty Lord Kitchener. The casualties during the month were :—Killed 26, wounded 42, died 3, total 71. The captures were: Prisoners 15, on** 15-piunder gun, twj pompoms with 2900 rounds of ammunition and fuses, 28 rifles, 1400 rounds of ammunition, 100 horses and mules And saddlery, 4500 oxen and cattle, 300 shetp. A large number of waggons and carts was aleo captured aid destroyed. The health of the regiment generally is good." f In another message sent from Heilbron on the 14' h instant Co'onel Porter reports having returned from a drive, in wbieh he met with little opposition. The wounded w<r-i ail progressing well. The strength of the regiment in the field is too low,

DEPARTURE OF THE NINTH CONTINGENT. AUCKLAND'S SEND-OFF. Auckland, March 19. A half-holiday was generally observed this foi enc )n. The contingent marched to the Dcmain cricket ground, where the Premier and party reviewed them. There was a largo parade of public school cadets. Captain O'Brien, promoted to m«jor to-day, was in command of the Contingent. The Premier addressed the cadets, expressing admiration of their bearing and miching, and aft«rwards addressed ft large gathering of parents of teacbei A lunchaan to the troops was servd in the Choral Hall. The toasta of the King and Governor were duly honoured. In reply to the toast of the Arm*, Navy, and Volun'eers, General B bing'on said the colonials were pt3uli->rly fit d for the class of fightirg now j. agonin Sauth Africa. In future, fc aver, they might have to mee* em nies of a different clrf-", md it behoved them to be ever ready if th- y wi«hed to keep the s-'o-d o f New Zealand bright and shaip. That could only be done by organisation end discipline. All who had the tru* interf sts of the Emp r re at heart wculd not forget the people of New Ze '.land. The Premier in proposing the health of the Contingent announced, amid ppplaase, that Ciptain O'Bren was now Major O'Brien, and that for the future Captain Adjutant R«id would be Major Reid. He further annourc d that the Governor bad reciveda cable from the Secretary rf State asking New Zealand to be represented by 1 'c»l forces at the Coronation, and 'hat. 'he British Government waa prepared to receive any number not exoeed'rg]so of all arms, officers not to exceed four. The Premier also read another cable from the Secretary of State exp: e«s'n" his appreciation of the c olendid patriotism exhibited by New Zeala r d in offering another contingent. A f'• r point, icg out the gl'rioua conduct of ' hp contingents the Premier ' Go lade and do likewise." He faid he nav. i seen finer men than those of the Ninth.

At the conc'iiK-'on of tin- hirqne 1 . th. troops were given tiow to say "goodbye " to thr-ir friends and wer» thevi marched to th» troopship. Tho D von was escorted down the harbour by a fleet of coastal steamers and yiicaU.