THE BOERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 293, 11 December 1899, Page 2

THE BOERS.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—Will you permit a reply to "C B •' whom you generously gave a column space in your Friday's issue? He characterised thenrgsent war thus: "And so the tale of BTTS&h aggression mightJj^carried on, down to the disgracefullfttack on this long-suffering people which we are now witnessing.'' He quoted two writers one of whom was recalled from South' Africa because he could not be trusted to do his public duty; and he wisely forbore telling your readers of. numerous Boer aggressions on natives and Britons. The Boers' past history has been one of restlessness and aggression, and one of their last raids on Bechuanaland had to be repelled by Great Britain at a cost of about two millions of- money.

"C.8." must not ignore history. If he will pardon me for doing so, I advise him to read Volume IV. of the Historical Geography of the British Colonies, by C. P. Lucas. It is published by the Clarendon Press, and is one of the best and most Impartial of the histories of the Boers and South Africa generally. It is next to Mrs Theals' great work.

We ■learn there what is .confirmed by many writers—that originally the Boers became British subjects by the conquest of Cape Colony in ISQ6; that subsequently they trekked, shooting down or enslaving the original inhabitants who barred their progress; that Britain left to themselves, because she could not indefinitely extend her empire, but only on condition that they did not enslave the blacks; that they made skives,, caused wars, endangered all white races in South Africa; that as a State they failed financially and were in danger of being swallowed up by the Zulus; that Britain annexed the Transvaal

and then gave it back on condition that all white men should be treated alike! that the Boers showed special favours tt Hollanders, Germans, and Dutch, aa<> laid specially heavy burdens on the British. They have moreover formed a fct, gantic conspiracy to drive Britons out.o; South Africa; have permitted British sub; jects to be murdered in their own house* with impunity, and, as I showed ia a letter to your journal on August Bth, havt permitted coloured British subjects to b< dragged out of bed and nearly killed h\ the police for not having passes; have excessively taxed Uitlanders;'have refuset to let them hold meetings; have insultingly refused to receive their petitions; have squandered on their own children taser collected for the good of all; have granteemonopolies to Hollanders and Germans ! to the oppression of the British and Americans; have placed the Uitlanders in posi. 1 tions of political, social, and education^ inferiority; have invaded homes withou? warrants; have denied freedom of speech and of the Press; have refused official in?quiries into public grievances; have need; lessly expelled people from the country, have ignored the Republican Constitution: have increased time after time the diffi.: 1 culties of getting the franchise; haversl' fused police protection; have wasted pub lie funds in bribes, secret service money and implements of war, being- mone y wrung- from foreigners; have tried (j crush out the English language; hay; tried t& subvert the Judicial Bench, andY other ways tried to injure, exasperate' and drive Uitlanders out of the country. When Britain insisted that these Boe, iniquities should cease, the Boers sent ar ultimatum, invaded British territory, anc made war on British colonists. Britain ij repelling invasion of her colonists' territory; hence it is untrue, as "C.8." says that Britain is "making a disgraceful attack on a long-suffering- people."—l ametc., ... . !■ F. G. EWINGTON.,;..