THE POSITION IN NATAL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 275, 20 November 1899, Page 2

THE POSITION IN NATAL.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —I have carefully perused your last night's leader on the above. At the risk of your refusing to insert, I pen a few lines on the subject. I wish the terrible word "prestige" were not so much emphasised as it always appears to be. I wrote to the Hon. J. Chamberlain years since begging- of him to use his utmost influence to prevent a war which I was sure would be fraught with most serious dangers to o\ir rule in South Africa. This reverse of itself cannot fail to have riiv.jt serious consequences on the natives both Basutos and Zulus, ,and all the Ckpe Colony tribes, .nfuch has been mate as to the long forbearance i that has been shown to the Transvaal Lxecutive and President^ by, the Hen. Chamberlain. But, sir, the present "state of affairs has arisen through mistakes of many years oo the part of the Colonial Office, which is too much of an autrcracy far away from the various countries it legislates for. At the close of the Zulu War, which had cost England so much human life and millions of money, instead of immediately annexing it (Zululand) a,s British territory, as the Natal Government urged, a long perio.. of indecision elapsed. This was taken advantage of by the Boers of lYansvaal and Orange Free State to migrate to Northern Zululand, who took possession of much of its territory. They are now helping- their brethren on the other side of the boundary. For many years past, throughout Cape Colony and Natal, Africa for Afrikanders has been the motto of the Afrikander Bund, as Ireland for the Irish .' as the Fenian cry. The Boers, like the Americans in George lll.'s time, are fighting for their independence, . nd have immense advant.-ges over them. Rightly or wrongly, they consider En°Umd has no rig-ht to interfere with their domestic policy. "By long forbearance the prince is persuaded " is Solomon's statement, and but for the ambitions 3e;il Ehodes, the Jamieson Raid—for which he is, many think, respons'ble—l believe this horrible ' war, irged on by the vested interests'' of capitalists and militarism, might have been avoided. I believe the ; Boers would have been induced to lis • I ten to peaceable persuasions as to lowering the Franchise. Tf we were in their position ns to limited educa- I tion, and fearing for our indepen- '■ dence being lost, as they have done, should we not be united in endeavouring to hold our own? It was George lll.'s s,timiclitv lcvs.t England the Un- .

I itetL States—it will b e well if history does not repeat itself in this case. I - fear the 1,500 prisoners will ,arj badly as to their commissariat provision.; As a boarder at a Transvaal farm I have been weeks without tasting meat or vegetables, i believe in an over-/ . ! ruling Providence in both individuals \ i and nations. The Hon. C. Rhodes in i his greed for gold shot down th e uni offending Matabeles by thousan 1., j the Cape Colonists have since most j cruelly confiscated the Christianised Bechuanas' lands, and apprenticed' them (alias slavery) to the Cape Colonists. In olden times the despotic Pharaoh, who knew not the former Saviour of his nation, enslaved his peaceable subjects, and treated them with barbarity. Bu the day of retribution came to him as it aid to the United States for their cruelty to the poor neproes. "Shall not the Judge ; of all the earth do right?"

J. 'ECKOVER.

Auckland, Nov. 2, 1899