South Africa.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 228, 12 July 1902, Page 4

South Africa.

o London, July 8. . Lml Kitchener's farewell message to the troops in South Africa, which was delayed in transmission, pays a tribute to the Army’s endury ancemid humanity, which it saysaro well known by our qondam enemies, many of whom, while intend--11 ing to light to a finish, expressed a 1 hope that they might serve in the ’ British Army. Reuter’s Agency states that 80 i per cent, of the able-bodied popu- “ dation of Rhodesia participated in ' the lighting operations. I Botha denied that Do Wet used t cattle to break the block-house lines Eastern Change Colony. He he says that wire fences were easily ILL cut. lie Commandant Ben Viljoen, who 'is at Sr.. Helena, agreed to sign the math of allegiance, and all other ii Boer prisoners are likely to do so. | At the instance of General Sic y’jßedvers Bulker, the newspapers b s ;have published the full text of the ■t/dJoleuso despatches, supplied by lorder uf Mr Brodrick, Secretary of

jStalu for War. Nearly all the inewspapers say that the despatches show G moral Bulloc was be•wilderod an 1 demoralised at IColenso. and’declare that the text ;places the famous heliograph message in a worse light than ever. It shows that on December 15th vacnerul Duller informed Lord yLansdowne. then Secretary for ■ War, that he considered ho ought : to let Ladysmith go. On December Kith Lord Lansdowno urged IGeneral Buller to make another piilempt to relieve Ladysmith, I urging that the abandonment of

the town would be a national disaster of the greatest magnitude, Uu December Kith and 17ih General Duller counselled General Sir George White to surrender on the best terms available. Sir George replied : “Could not think of surrender,” adding that the loss

i 12,000 men w'ould be a heavy blow ito England. General Duller might, ihe considered, hit the enemy harder. He imagined the attacking force ought to keep in touch |with the enemy. To-day General Duller writes to a newspaper, stating that he was delighted to ! receive on December 17th Lord ILansdowne’s assurance that the ;forces he thought pledged else- ; where were at his disposal. The 1 Morning Loader defends General 'Duller, pleading that General j White was better off in Ladysmith iihan General Duller imagined, and that after reinforcements were sent ito him General Duller never des- | paired. 1 July 9. j The Cape Parliament has been | summoned to meet on August 20. i Portions of the Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth New Zealand Contingents ; and proportions of the first, second, fourth, sixih and eighth battalions of the Commonwealth Contingents, have sailed in the Dritannic ; and the fifth, seventh, eighth, and portion of the fourth battalion of the Commonwealth Contingents by the Manchester Merchant. The Times’ Johannesburg correspondent states that ex-irregular troops are settling without capital in grounds under superintendents. They receive half the profits from the Government farms. Fifty to seventy, mostly New Zealanders, are already settled in the Ermelo district.

Mr Kruger is publishing an Apologia in the shape of documents relating to the origin and course of the war.

Reuter’s Johannesburg correspondent says there has been a great increase of drunkenness since [the abolition of liquor permits. I The press is advocating State con!trol of the liquor traffic. Housejbreaking and robbery with violence fare alarmingly prevalent in the town. The number of police is inadequate, and the suburbs are unsafe at night. The Moderate party at the Capo are enthusiastic over Mr Chamberlain’s despatch in reference to the suspension of the Constitution. The Progressives are greatly divided. The Johannesburg Star says that power will now pass into the hands of men whose loyalty is not above suspicion. Lord Kitchener will receive the freedom of Southampton on his arrival on Saturday, and then proceeds to London. Fifteen thousand troops will line the route from Paddington station to Marlborough House, where the Prince of Wales will entertain the victorious General at luncheon. Lord Methuen received a heat ty reception. He is still unable to walk, and has gone to his home in Wiltshire. July 10. Lord Methuen, in reply to an address of welcome presented to him at Corsham, said that he considered it the honour of his life to have commanded, besides Englishmen, a very large number of Australians and New Zealanders. The South African war had been fought under novel conditions, and whatever the criticisms might have been, be declared that England never had an army of better or braver men, Lord Milner, in referring to the restocking of the Boer farms, informed Mr Chamberlain that two small experimental shipments are being made to South Africa, the owners taking the risk. It is impossible to invite tenders until it is ascertained under what conditions stock will live in South Africa.