RISING OF REBELS.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 March 1922, Page 5

RISING OF REBELS.

WARFARE IN AFRICA'. SITUATION IMPROVING. TROOPS GETTING CONTROL. ENCIRCLING MOVEMENT. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received March 14, 9.40 pan. Capetown, March 14. An official communique states that the encircling movement of the Government forces is now complete and the situation is well in hand. Eastern and western Pretoria and the Germiston area are to all intents and purposes out of the reckoning, for not only has recruiting stopped but considerable forces are available as reserves. Certain portions of the central area still require to be cleared up. In the central area our aeroplanes observed great activity at Fordsbutg. The police, who were relieved yesterday, to-day captured twenty-four prisoners and arms, and caused the enemy several casualties. The police examined aeroplanes at Mulderdrift Road, and found one destroyed by fire and others slightly injured. They found the police station at Newlands destroyed, and a number of wounded revolutionaries in the Newlands hospital. From information received from the natives it is clear that in yesterday’s bombing raid many revolutionaries were killed and two of their leaders seriously injured. The inspector of police and eighty-six policemen, who were captured, were taken out during the night to Asvogelfontein and released.

The eastern area garrison at Leiet and Benoni are busy sorting out prisoners. Over four thousand persons were dealt with. These include a considerable number of individuals who could be trusted not to be revolutionaries, being held in the town against their will. General Van de Venter relieved the garrisons at the Brakpan power station and the police station. The men at the latter showed particular gallantry in holding out without water and food for three days with their defences riddled by snipers. Colonel Nussey, with troops in force under his command, reached Maraisburg. There was some sniping from the kopjes north of the railway, and Colonel Nussey is working to clear his position. His dismounted men are still at Florida. Later Colonel Nussey reached Newlands, and a number of revolutionaries were observed amongst the kopjes ahead of him. He came into touch at this point with a squadron of the South African Mounted Rifles, the extreme left portion of the force under General Bebes. Another portion of the force functioned at Durban with the Light Infantry. In the vicinity of the Teewclare station in the Pretoria-Germiston area, General Van de Walt’s force pushed out several miles eastward and westward of the Rietfontein station. The high ground on both sides of the railway is now held by this force, and everything is quiet in this sector. A junction has been effected with General Van de Venter’s force.

The general co-operation of our aeroplanes and forces has markedly improved, thus facilitating operations. Wherever there were large gatherings of the enemy in the vicinity of our troops the firing of red lights from aeroplanes dispersed them —Reuter Service.

NEARLY STAMPED OUT. MOST SECTORS CLEARED. RECRUITING STOPPED. Received March 15, 1.15 a.m. , Capetown, March 14. It is officially declared that all see tors, except central Johannesburg, can be regarded as cleared up. Recruiting h** been stopped.—Reuter Service. CAPTURE OF BRAKPAN. AUTHORITIES FULLY PREPARED. REBELS ENTRENCH. Capetown. March 13. The Government forces have captured Brakpan. On Saturday afternoon three Red Cross motors carrying Red Croce; flags, which were dispatched to Auckland Park to bring back nurses for service, were subjected to heavy fire from rebels and obliged to pull up. The nurses lay down. Attempted rescuers under the white flag were fired on. It 'was almost three hours before the cars succeeded in escaping. riddled with bullets. jOfficials of the Industrial Federation maintain that they had no knowledge of the commandos’ intention to attack the police. The Chamber of Mines adheres to the previous position, and, while it is prepared to discuss questions with the trades union, it will refuse to recognise the Federation. The Capetown Communists passed a resolution in favor of a general strike, but there is no prospect of success. The military authorities do not anticipate trouble in Capetown, but are fully prepared for any contingency. They have no intention of calling up the local defence units.

The power station at Durban is guarded by police. Most of the members affiliated with the union are on strike. A meeting of the Railwaymen’s Union passed a resolution calling on the Gov-ernor-General to dissolve Parliament and appeal to the people to prevent further bloodshed, also demanding a ballot for a general strike. Motor transport in Johannesburg is again running freely, but normal activities are almost at a standstill. The police are drafting the male population of some of the disaffected areas in convenient locations, and combing out those wanted. At Fordsburg the revolutionary forces dug themselves in in the streets, working hard entrenching at the street corners. They displayed notices declaring martial law. A few police are still held prisoners in the school-room. The roads leading from town are effectively barricaded. A thousand prisoners were taken. in the capture of Beneni. The arrests include a number of strike leaders. The beleagured police released at Brixton were in an exhausted condition and had been kept without food for three days. Boy scouts who attempted to relieve iem were sniped at. DESPERATE FIGHTING. WITH VREDEDORP COMMANDO. ARTILLERY AT WORK. Capetown, March 13. JeUOs of the fighting ehow the en*gement with the Vredetep comnando

was of a most desperate character. After aeroplanes had bombed for an bout the big guns came into play, while machine-guns and rifles kept up a continuous fusilade. The Reds were well armed and defended the position with the utmost vigor. It is beileved the slaughter was heavy. Over a thousand Red prisoners were captured. Thousands of spectators watched the advance of the Government forces. Soon after the artillery commenced shelling the ridges where the Reds were entrenched they began to retreat in good order. The retreat quickly swelled into a continuous stream. It is now stated that the money to finance the revolution came from abroad. General Smuts, interviewed, declared that the position was in every way satisfactory. The response of the Government commandos was magnificent, ano he was confident the revolution would be utterly crushed. Mr. Malan, outlining the progress of events in the Legislative Assembly, said the Government felt it had the hearty co-operation of all true-minded citizens in this crisis. Colonel Nussey’e force has occupied Roodepoort and Florida, and. is marching on Maraisburg. where the Reds occupy a strong position. The Government forces sustained only 25 casualties in the capture of Benoni. In connection with the reported murder of two officers at Jeppes, it now transpires that one, Captain Ironside, was twice wounded, robbed, and threatened with shooting, but was rescued by some strikers and sent to hospital. Nothing has been heard regarding the other officer. _— *—*- "