THE TRANSVAAL.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 669, 2 December 1899, Page 3

THE TRANSVAAL.

MB McNAB'S QUESTION ANSWERED. So much has been said regarding Mr Chamberlain's utterances nbout the time the question of sending a New Zualand contingent to the Transvaal w_as before the House of Bepresentatives that what he did actually say is of interest, insomuch as it lenders completely abortive the excuse put forward by Mr McNab and his friends for his voting against the proposition that war was an unlikely contingency, and bears out coruplety Mr Baymond's contention in an opposite direction. The question of offering a conti ipent for service was before the New Zealand Parliament on September 28. The London correspondent of the Cape ' Times ' cabling on the 19th, stated : — Mr Chamberlain addressed the House of Commons in a speech of two and three-quarter hours' duration, and was greatly cheered. After replying to various criticisms, he declared that he had most reluctantly arrived at his conclusions, from recent events, and the speeches of President Kruger, that war was always inevitable. Great Britain, if it wished to remain a great Power, was obliged to protect her subjects from oppression and uphold her paramountcy. The oligarchy at Pretoria, abetted by President Steyn, had consistently conspired to undermine that paramountcy, and had placed British subjects in an inferiority which it was impossible to accept. ConcluJing, he said the Imperial Government had shown endless patience. President Kruger had appealed to the God of Battles, and he (Mr Chamberlain) accepted the appeal, because he believed our quarrel was just.