RAND AFLAME

Taranaki Daily News, 13 March 1922, Page 5

RAND AFLAME

WARE ABE DEVELOPING. FIGHTING IN VILLAGES. AEROPLANES TAKE PART, MANY CASUALTIES. tty Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. March 12, 5.5 p.m. Capetown, March H. The papers describe the situation on the Rand as civil war. An amazing feature is the numbers and discipline of the strikers and extent to which they are armed. The whole circumstances point to the rising having been carefully planned. An official communique states the situation last night was very serious, but it must assume a different aspect shortly whfen the Government’s reinforcements are brought into action. The concentration of the Government forces is proceeding rapidly and large numbers will soon be available. Recruiting is good, but many citizens do not yet realise the seriousness of the situation.

The total casualties are unknown, but they are estimated at six hundred, of which eighty are believed to be killed. The Benoni trades hall was demolished by aeroplane bombs. It is believed a considerable number of strikers defending the hail, including some members of the executive of the industrial federation, were killed. The suburbs of Fordsburg and Newlands are in the hand® of the revolutionaries. The Fordsburg commando is entrenched behind a barricade with machine-guns. A strikers’ attack on Auckland Park failed. Strikers attacking in small force are holding Ellis Park, but the latter is maintaining its position. A motor car squadron is being formed, comprising a thousand ex-service men, to cope with the outbreaks. It is stated the revolutionaries possess les® than a thousand rifles, while others are armed with shot guns. The greatest indignation has been aroused over the reported murder of an officer and two men in the Brakpan mine, who, allegedly, the strikers captured and shot in cold blood. A general strike has been proclaimed at Durban, but water, light and power for the trams have been declared essential services. A general response is regarded as unlikely. Engine-drivers, firemen and boiler-makers have already refused to join. The East London trades unionists decided not to down took.

Pretoria reports that the position there is normal. The publication of a new Nationalist newspaper supporting the strike has been stopped.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

FIGHTING BREAKS OUT. £IG ATTACK BY STRIKERS. MANY POLICE KILLED. MORE TROOPS CALLED OUT. Received March 12, 5.5 p.m. Capetown, March 10. According to a report from Newlande commando strikers numbering 1200 to 2000 attacked the police at seven in the morning and Lieutenant Long and 47 men were forced to surrender. Reinforcements sent were ambushed and driven off by rifle and bomb fire. Several natives were killed. A squadron of mounted police arrived on the scene and negotiations were opened with the commando leaders under a white flag. It is reported that threats were made that if the police attempt to force the position all those captured will be killed. A later message says the police appear to have established superiority at Fordsburg, though the position is uncertain. Captain Carey Thomas was shot dead in an aeroplane at Benoni; also eleven police were killed and fifteen wounded A lieutenant and eight special constables were killed at Brakpan; also a sergeant of mounted rifles. A Transvaal Scottish regiment occupies the town hall. A column of strikers in Pretoria was ordered to disperse by the police and did so without demur. The Government has called out several more units of the defence force a-nd also a large number of country comanwnAon —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE LATEST NEWS. JHE POSITION IMPROVED. RAILWAYS BLOWN Üb. Received March 13, 12.30 a.m. Capetown, March 11An official report to-night says the (position is much better than yesterday. The newspaper Star states the police are using machine guns in the Mewlands area, where the commandos are linked up with the Vredorp and Fordsburg forces, thus forming a line two ffiiw from Johannesburg. About a hundred were arrested in the town yesRail ways have been blown up in a number of places and several areas, including the far east Rand, are out ot communication. The task of end volunteer® is immensely difficult owing to the condition of street fight It is reported that Mr. Roos, NotiSnalist leader in the Transvaal, ha. offered his services to the Governmen to do anything possible to terminate fcostUities.—Ans.-N.Z. Cable Assn.