The Transvaal.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 119, 5 March 1901, Page 3

The Transvaal.

London, Feb. 28. # In an engagement on Saturday with Do Wet and two commandants, 200 of De Wet’s followers were captured. A force of New Zealanders at Zoerust shelled the Boers southward of the town, compelled them to remove their laagers, and captured some cattle. Kruger has been informed that his grandson, Piet Kruger, and his son-iu-law, Commandant Malau, both serving in Do La Key’s commando, wore recently killed in an engagement in the Rustenburg district. An announcement, declared to be official, was made that Botha had surrendered to Lord Kitchener, but the report of the report of the surrender was stated to be unofficial. A previous message stated that Botha was moving towards General Viljeon’s headquarters at Roosenkraal. De Wot recently advised Herfzog (hat unless the raid in Capo Colony was a signal success, they had better consider the advisability of surrendering. Mr Bvodrick stated in tho House of Commons that nothing official in reference to the surrender had been received. March 1. Private D. AT. ('arson, of the New Zealand Rough Riders, has died of enteric at Krugersdorp. Lieutenants Ranks, Somniervilie, Fitzhorbert and Tucker, and Colonel Robin have been discharged from the hospital, and have resumed duty.

The Boers in the Pielersburg district, north of Pretoria, are runnirg trains southward for Warmbaths, watching an opportunity to destroy Pienaar’s river bridge.

The Daily News states that Botha offered to surrender upon certain terms.

The negotiations still continue, and Lord Kitchener is still at Middleburg. De Wot, Steyn, Herrzog, and Commandant Brand, with 2000 men, are moving south in the direction of Cohabnrg, hoping to cross into Orange River Colony at Nerval's Pont. Yesterday !lv> raiders had reached a point east of Phihpstown, about nrdway between Petrus vide and Coles - burg. The British Government is steadily sending men and horses to Rou.h Africa, to relieve those who have bwn fighting for any length of time, and to make good the waste from casualties and disease. March 2. Lord Kitchener has returned to Pretoria. He telegraps that Be Wot has been forced north over the Grange River. Two hundred of his followers were captured, and other stragglers are being captured. The Times correspondent reports from Hopetonn regarding the recent fighting that Colonel Plainer overtook De We on February 17th, at a de; ot westward of tho railway. Colonel Plunder's supplies being exhausted, he halted at Haauwpan on February 18th, and went to Eisievlie to refit, leaving three strong patrols to hang on De Wet’s rear, and watch the river drifts.

The patrols behaved srdend dly. touch being maintained with General Knox, who was enabled to gauge the enemy’s intentions. The British southern columns were so marshalled as to prevent the junction of the invaders from tho south and west.

De Wet tried to reoross the Orange River at Brakkies.

Small parties crossed in a boat, but the naiii commando was unable to establish a ford, and headed from the river in the direction of Prieska were they were again repelled towards the Orange river drift. Colonel Pluraer, having oUlined supplies, again resumed operations, preventing the enemy’s passage o ? Marks Drift, and capturing 100 prisoners.

When Colonel Owen on February 23rd, captured the last Boer guns of De Wet’s rearguard, during the silentwatches of the night, the enemy slipped by the Kimberly column, ami recrossed the railway, Do Wet, with flertzog, going towards Zand Drift. The majority of tho commando dispersed or surrendered.

De Wet in his fanaticism is reported to be demented, and floga everybody.

Haasbroeck, whose commando remains compact, refuses to co operate with him.

The correspondent was not allowed to indicate the new British concentration. as the message preceded Lord Kitchener’s latest despatch. The Army Estimates will provide for a permanent army of 220,000, the remainder, and affective force, being regarded as temporary forces due to the war.

The Estimates include £58,230,000 for war services, with the cost of reparation and gratuitiesThe Estimates are based upon the calculation that tho army in South Africa will be kept at full strength until the beginning of August, and that it will then be gradually diminished.

Substantial provision is made for the reorganisation of the Army Medical Departments and pensions to the widows and children of those who died as the result of active operations Wellington, March 2.

Some time ago the Imperial Government asked the colonial Governments to send four additional medical men to South Africa- Mr Seddon at once agreed to send one, and Surgeon-Major Burns, of Dunedin, who did such excellent service with the New Zealand First Contingent, and only recently returned to New Zealand, has been selected as representative and principal medical officer for New . Zealand, and will shortly leave for Capetown, which ha will make his base.

Dr, Dawson, it is said, will go with the Seventh Contingent as medical adviser. 1