THE BOER WAR.

Waikato Argus, Volume XI, Issue 1007, 29 July 1901, Page 2

THE BOER WAR.

FIGHT AT LEMBODO.

BRITISH LOSS : 10 KILLED AND WOUNDED.

FIGHT AT NELSPRUIT.

ENEMY LOSE HEAVILY.

WOUNDED NEW ZEALANDERS. BADEN-POWELL AT SOUTHAMPTON. (Received July 28, 4.35 p.m.) London July 27. Of the Seventh New Zealanders Lieutenant Carter, slightly, Privates G. W. Callaway and Andrew Peterson were severely wounded at Vereeminejing. Victorian Sergeant Buckingham was killed at Rhenosterkop. A superior force, probahy Amsterdam and Pretrelup commandeers, on Wednesday forced a detachment of Colonel Sternacker’s force to evacuate Bremersdorp, Swaziland. The British fought their way to Lembodo. 16 miles, losing.ten killed and wounded and a few missing. , The Standard’s Pretoria correspondent states that Colonels Benson, Beatson, Spen, and Parka, with four columns, were in the vicinity of Dulletroom and awaited Ben Yiljoen’s force of 600 men from Rhenosterkop going to Nelspruit. Viljoen was unaware of their presence, and his advance was blocked. A battle was fought on the 7tb, the enemy suffering heavily. General Baden-Powell has arrived at Southampton, and was accorded an ovation. He said his work in South Africa was two thirds finished, and he would return the moment he had recuperated. TO TERMINATE THE WAR. (Received July 27, 9.32 a.m.) London, July 26. The Boer correspondent singing himself ‘ P.S.,’ who has contributed a number of remarkable letters to the London daily press on the subject of the war, starting with an advocacy of the Boer cause, and gradually becoming alienated in his sympathies with the burghers, writing to the Morning Post, insists that clemency towards the Boers at the present time wouln not really bo a humane policy to pursue. He insists that clemency would be misplaced, and that a proclamation to the effect that all under arms in September would be outlawed and their property confiscated, and all taking up arms subsequently hanged, would be in the true interests of the people. IRISHMEN IS SOUTA AFRICA. The Rev. Dr. Koibe, a Roman Catholic priest, has been carrying on a political campaign in the columns of the Freeman’s Journal iu favour of the Boers, and while so occupied, accused the Dominican nuns stationed at Newcastle, Natal, of lunniog away from duty iu the hour of peril and emergency. 1 his last charge aroused the indignation of the Roman Catholic priests in the western district of Oupe Colony. They addressed the following remonstrance to the Freeman’s Journal, which appeared in that piper on March 19th : Sir—, We the undersigned, being a majority of the Catholic rriests of the western districts of the Cape of Good Hope, have as a body remained silent under much provocation, while Dr. Koibe was carrying on his political campaign iu favour of the Boers. His attitude in matters of pure politics would not have moved us to the kind of protest which we now feel obliged to make, although we arc convinced that the war iu South Africa was just and' necessary on the part of Great Britain, we do not intend to discuss ttie question now. A letter from Dr Koibe appeared jn your paper lately in which, admist a number of exparte statements on the present situation he makes the astonishing charges of calumny and of running away from duty against the Dominican Sisters bf Newcastle, Natal. Such charges will require more proof than mere ‘ hearsay ’ assertions before they are believed by anyone who knows the splendid record of zsal and energy which the good sisters have established in South Africa. We must regrest deeply that they were put forth by a Catholic prie.st to bolster up a lost poliPcal cause. It becomes our obvious duty to dissociate ourselves publicly from them, least our silence should be taken for consent. We believe that the sisters obeyed the most reasonable dictates of decency and duty in leaving Newcastle, whenthey had no chance of protection. It is to he presumed that they and their superior on the spot were better acquainted with the data for forming a correct judgement than Dr Koibe can be so long after the event. It must have been a painful step for them to abandon their home and the labour of years. The facts which they alleged in their letters and which are substantially confirmed by Father Ford in the appended memorandum, show that their forecast was only too well grounded. We are unable to endorse Dr Kolbe’a praises (in the same letter) of the action of a large section of the Irish people at home during the war. We love Ireland dearly, ami long to sec her enjoy the full liberty which we possess iu this colony. Sonic of us are Irish by birth ; others are South Africans, who look to Ireland as our sacred motherland. Still we cannot thank you for having opposed the truest interests of this our native or adopted land. Race equality and the fullest religious freedom an- some of the substantial benefits of British rule in this country ; and, making the fullest allowances for mixed motives, these are the stakes for which Britain has been placing by her diplomacy and throughout the war. There is another section of the Irish people whom we can thank cordially for their services to our country the genial and bravo Irish soldiers who came here to fight and die for duty’s sake. We who have had the privilege of giving them the consolations of religion on their way to the battle-field can speak at first hand of their faith, loyalty, and their sense of duty. But no words of ours can describe them adequately. Their deeds will live, and will be a more powerful appeal to the hearts of Englishmen in favour,of liish rights, that all the tactics of amateur politicians.—We are etc., Thomas Meagher, Charles M’Carthy, 1) I), Walter Kittelvvesoh, Sidney R Welch, D D, Bertram Glynn, Denis M'Auliffe, DD, J. J. O’Reilly, Alban O’Riley, Thomas J. Culleu, Frederick Haushaim. St. Mary’s Capetown, 25th February, 1901.