POSITION ON THE RAND.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 March 1922, Page 6

POSITION ON THE RAND.

RE-OPENING OF THE MINES. DISTRESS AMONGST MINERS. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Capetown, March 22. Although there is much unemployment and distress on the Rand there is reason to believe that the mining industry will be able to absorb a good proportion in course of time now that the industry has got down to a proper economic basis. Some mines, closed owing to excessive working costs, may be able to re-open. A loyal trade unionist kept at Fordsburg by the Reds gives the Johannesburg Star interesting details. He states that when it to the pinch the youngsters were the only ones ready to fight. The Red leaders told their followers that, if they held on to trie bitter end, terms of surrender, would be given, also that huge commandos of Boers were combing to their assistance. When the attack commenced some of the leaders exhorted their dupes to die for world, and then disappeared at the sound of the first gun. SPLENDID WORK OF BOERS. Capetown, March 23. The Minister for Defence, thanking the last burgher commando to leave the Rand, paid a tribute to their wonderful mobilisation. „ He said the trouble was not a racial dispute, but a deep-seated revolutionary business, started and encouraged by the people who had painted their own. country red and destroyed their own country, where life an property were now not worth a sixpence. They had seen no regular army and did not dream that 10,0Q0 men would march from anywhere and everywher not questioning why, only prepared to do their duty.