STRIFE ON RAND.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 March 1922, Page 5

STRIFE ON RAND.

POSITION IMPROVING. TROOPS GETTING CONTROL. END EXPECTED SOON. KEY TOWN SAVED. »' Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received March 14, 1.20 a.ia. Capetown, March 13. V red edorp is reported to be surrounded by Government troops. The revolutionaries are said to be under the command of Commandant Fraamus Tielman. Mr. Roos, chairman of the Transvaal Nationalists, has returned to Pretoria. He did not visit the revolutionary headquarters. Mr. Hertzog and other prominent Free State Nationalists strongly condemn the movement to form commandos at Bloemfontein. The Government forces are making headway. A total of 2200 rebels were captured in the central area with slight Government casualties. It is estimated the Government have six thousand men concentrated along the reef and other loyal commandos are on the way. It is believed the revolution will be over in a few days. There are many instances of abuse of the Red Cross by rebels.

A gallant stand made by a handful of police at Fordsburg probably saved the heart of th? town and the best residential area from being overrun by revolutionaries. Fordsburg is the key to the position. If it had been forced the would have been serious and the difficulty of the Government’s task enormously increased. There re general testimony of the magnificent behaviour of the* police and also the citizen defence force, many of whom are young lads. An official communique states the central area operations were entirely satisfactory. Two tjquadrons of police besieged Brixton and Auckland Park, relieved our forces and pushed well forward to high ground at Westcliffe with slight casualties. An aeroplane operating against the rebels was forced to land. A second airman, in attempting to rescue the stranded pilot, damaged his undercarriage. A third machine then landed and took off successfully with two of the stranded aviators. Of the remaining three one managed to reach the house of friends and the other two took refuge in a plantation, where they were attacked by a mounted revolutionary. One aviator was wounded, but the revolutionary was killed. Two aviators escaped and reached hospital in the eastern area. Vanderventer’s forces heavily engaged the revolutionaries, who retired into Benoni. Our forces now occupy the position held by the rebels. In the western area large numbers of our forces reached Krugeradorp late in the afternoon and are now pushing eastward. Operations continued all day long in the vicinity of the Pretoria-Germiston railway line. The revolutionaries were heavily bombed, but persisted in attempting to damage the line, having already done so twice, but on both occasions the line was repaired. Forces under Colonel Breytenbach have occupied Rietfontein. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Aasn.

A PITCHED BATTLE. AVTTVITY OF REBELS. MAW SHARP CONFLICTS. Capetown. March 12. Krugersdorp reports that the situation is satisfactory. Rations and supplies are dropped from aeroplanes to detached police forces besieged by the revolutionaries. Other reports give details of the fight at the Newlands police station on Friday. It was defended by 58 men and attacked in overwhelming numbers. Telephones were cut and there was no means of securing support. The attackers threw bombs over the roofs of houses into the station and kept up a hot fusilade to which the defenders replied. The fight continued for one and a half hours before the defenders surrendered. When the news of the fight reached town a motor lorry with 40 men was dispatched, but drove into a carefully prepared ambush, and a pitched battle ensued. Doctors arrived under the white flag, and while this was flying the rebels rushed in. Further fighting followed during which several of the police escaped, but 35 were surrounded. Eventually an armistice was arranged and fighting ceased. It is estimated that during Saturday’s fighting over 100 were killed. General Vandeventer holds supreme command of the Government forces. The burghers’ response to the call for volunteers has been most satisfactory. No forces are being commandeered. Boer commandos are mustering at Kmgersdorp. It is reported that one Boer was murdered by the strikers in cold blood after arrival, and this has increased the bitterness of the Boers towards the strikers. Other commandos are expected to-day, meanwhile the erection of barricades is proceeding. British volunteers are enrolling in large numbers. JOHANNESBURG POSITION. The situation at Johannesburg is well in hand. The springs at Brakpan have been taken by the Government and burgher forces. Benoni is holding out, bnt the Government’s position is good. Krugersdorp is in the possession of the Government and burgher forces. Three thousand rebels were located entrenched at Newlands and bombed by aeroplanes. Forces are converging on Fordsburg. A comm unique states that the rebels are most active, and considerable fighting took place. Aeroplanes were active ail day. The rebels started burning houses at Benoni and Boksburg in retaliation for the bombing. All machines are now carrying bombs m order fair a advantage of commandos .discovered in the open or in Ownmendos were successfully bombea twice, suffering severely in an attack on Ellis Park. . . One hundred and thirty Imperial Light Horse put up a splendid fight, chasing the revolutionaries into siae streets and killed and wounded many. Sixteen were taken prisoner including chairman of the local strike committee. The Government casualties are five killed and 15 wounded. ' While the rebels gained minor ad vanacee at first a considerable force is wSr *t thA disposal of the Government.

General Smuts arrived at Johannesburg after an exciting journey. The wheel of his motor car was hit by a bullet. He took charge immediately on arrival, and his presence has given the greatest satisfaction at a critical juncture. He immediately strengthened and coordinated the forces to oppose the Red revolutionary menace which is attempting to plunge the Witwatersrand into chaos, terror and anarchy. PLANNED OPERATIONS BEGUN.

Official.—The Government forces have commenced planned operations against the strikers in the central area. In the Brixton area, where the Reds are surrounding two squadrons of police, they were heavily bombarded, causing a large number of casualties, many of the Reds surrendered and others took refuge in the native location. A commando 500 strong in a plantation near new Kleinfontein also were bombarded. Operations in the Benoui and Brakpan areas under General Vandeventer are proceeding satisfactorily. General Britz is moving along the railway in the eastern area. It is now ascertained that a few officials forming a guard at the Brakpan mine were clubbed to death, after surrendering when their ammunition was exhausted. Capetown, March 12. The difficulty of repressive operations is enhanced by the constant sniping at men in uniform or wearing the insignia of the Civic Guard or Motor Corps. One moment gunmen are potting at passing details and the next walking about in the crowd with nothing to show that they are combatants. Detectives, however, are gradually gathering them in. It will take a few days to complete the Government plans, which involve a great encircling movement embracing the whole of the Reef. The casualty lists show that many spectators were hit in the earlier fighting, but now, realising the seriousness of the position, they are showing more caution. After curfew the Johannesburg streets are as empty as a city of the dead. The only life moving is the troops. Another dastardly murder is reported. Two military officers were motoring two youthful strikers to the police station and stopped to mend a puncture. They were fatally shot by the mob at Jeppe. The two youths reported the murder and were so horrified at the cold-blood-ed outrage that they offered to join up. The power station is now manned by volunteers and the city is again lighted.

The latest official announcement states that, as the result of operations in Sophia Town and on the Brixton Ridge area, 1500 prisoners have been captured and the ridges in the neighborhood cleared. This is of great importance, as the presence of a strong rebel force in the area constituted a grave menace.