GENERAL BOTHA'S SENTIMENTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7349, 2 December 1907, Page 1

GENERAL BOTHA'S SENTIMENTS.

In the course of a recent vigorous speech, General Botha, Premier of the Transvaal, asked his listeners to cooperate with the Government, in order to prove to. the British Government that the white people of the Transvaal were worthy of the trust reposed in them, and to demonstrate the tact that they were not only worthy, but able, •to do their share in the work of building up the Empire. (Cheers!) ■ One of the greatest objects he had in view was the seenrement of co-operation in this country, and in that aim h© had the hearty assistance of every Minister of his Government. ' He knew there must be many among his hearers who five years ago were eager to kill each other. (Laughter.) He said it was not a remarkable thing in the history of South Africa —and a thing for which they might well be grateful—that the position had altered so much that they could to-day in reality give each other the hand of brotherhood. (Continued applause.) The old days of killing and chasing each other had, thank goodness, ended. (Laughter.) Those people who to-day wished to act on racial lines were blind and foolish. They were the people who mostly went to the right and left, but they—the Government —intended to keep to the middle path. By keeping to the straight road "f mode-ration ho felt sure they woul'l sr>e that day when a strong nation iiud grown up in the Transvaal— a notion not" only united, -but which TCC-uld be an ornament to the .British Empire. (Cheers.) The policy of his Government knew no Britisher'or Afrikander. (Hear, hear.) They intended to go to the assistance of all the white races of the country in an impartial manner." .