GENERAL LOUIS BOTHA.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 191, 12 August 1915, Page 7

GENERAL LOUIS BOTHA.

rWTERESTUfG WORD PICTtTRE. AUDRy>* BY HON. itEO. FOWLLJS. General I.ouifi Botha had i>by«l so larjrr a part in wr>rkin™ out the destiny of South Africa it «s nnt until after the Boer war that he had hi* firet of the eea. Having been rommandor in-chi<»f of the forces operating against the British, he was then on his way to England to attend ttv» Impena! Conference, at which he represented JSouth fjria. This was one of the interesting facts mentioned hy tr«? Hon. (ieorjr , ? Kowlds in the course of an address which he sare last nuriit at a meetins of thr Civic League. Ihe subject of the lo<-turr was •"Botha and H;- Influence.- , The speaker jrsve a pieafcinjj worl picture of the distinguished who rec<Titly laid aside th<> duties of I'remier in order to qiieH the . rious re I bfllion and to lead the British forces aaamst the enemy in German Soutn «ftst Africa. IjOUV Botlw. said Mr. Fo»!ds. wari as littJe Irke our oonepption of a ceneral ac anyone i-ould i>e. He was a beautifuJ character and a!*o a character, gentle and unassuming, yet prorrrpt in action and firm in dt»-i~ion. I'nforturMteiy the etrenuou* ■■\porieiH'es ot the war .iiwi of his eirt**'quent political campaifrns had γ-o undermineil his heilth that it was a .*nrpris» to the speaker tliat ' ■■ had been a.btp to carry through so promptly his recent triumphant campaign. Mr. Kowlds explained how he had be .•ome a'i|uiinteil with the sitbjert of hi." lecture on the nr-ea-sion of hie vieit to South Africa as the representative ot New Zealand in 1010. He hid alro learned of the dejigiitful relationship whioh e\i-sted between (Jeneral liortha and hi« wife. This was something like tlie relationship of the late Mrs. Gladstone and Kn;j!and's (Jrand Old man. Mrs. Botha watched over her lius-twml untirinjr'v. and endeavoured to ehieJd him a*, much as was in her power. There was a .-train of Hujruenot blood in the (ien«rdl. whi!*li jirobnibly accounted lor his liberniovins tenden<nes. Without the advantage* of much education, said Mr. Fowlds. lx>uis Hotha was hroiiffht up on a btn-kblock's farm. When th<> war clouds jntliered over South Afrn-n he and Ceneral .Irabert were averse to an outbreak of hostilities. hut seeing that "nich wer» inevitable they did vrhat Britifhere would have dons—joined their countrymen in the common naure. When the present war broke out. explained Mr. Fowlds. CFeneral Hot-ha decided to surrport Great Britain in the taking of South west Africa. Then followed the very serious rebHlion. and the war in which that was dea.lt witH was one of the most remarkable facts in South African history, more especially as influential men like Herzog and Pteyn were very far from declaring themselves apainst the rebellion. "But no ta4k about South Africa," add-ed Mr. Fowltk. 'would be complete without referencr to flencral Smuts, riec«iiee he is the man that supplies the energy for the movements which he and General Botha have been carrying out. Hie cutfnes-s. his ijuickness,and iii.i enerjiv are marvejlous. General Both.i ha* fihowti rMnarlcn.b!e energy, but in his delicate rtate of health las 1 knew him I it was essential that he should have the assi.startce of a man like General Smuts." At the conclusion of the lecture the .speairer was accorded a very hearty vote of rhinks.