SPEECH BY THE HON. GEORGE FOWLDS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13911, 9 December 1910, Page 8

SPEECH BY THE HON. GEORGE FOWLDS.

(rxOU OCX OWN CORRtSPOXDBKT-7

CAPETOWN, November 9

A neatly expressed speech was made j by the Hon. G. Fowlds. the New Zea-j litn<l delegate to the .South African . Union Celebrations, at the State ban- j quet at Capetown, on November 3rd, on the eve of the opening of the Union Parliament, when responding to the toast of "Our Visitors." To Him, he said, coming to South Africa was like coming home. He referred to the administration of that distinguished statesman. Sir George Grey, in South Africa in the "sixties, and his subsequent sojourn in New Zealand. He LUr Fowlds) rejoiced that after a lapse ot oO years the wisdom of the statesmen of the Old Country had seen fit to confer upon the communities of South Africa the privilege and right of selfgovernment? (Hear. hear). He thought it would Iμ? well if the people of South Africa would try to embody in their reIr.tionship.s with one another the spirit of generosity and magnanimity which had been shown by the statesmen of the Mother Country., Jf they did tfint he had no fear of the future of South Africa. The Britishers had recognised the nobility and the virility of the Dutch peonle of South Africa, who had for several centuries struggled in the country with Nature, and in that struggle had developed a character and capacity that was the admiration of the world. (Applause). He was sure no more loyal subjects would I>e found in the British Empire than those libertyloving people. Finally he advocated consideration and toleration—consideraI tion for the feelings, aye, and for the prejudices of people living in different parts of the Empire—(hear, hear) —and toleration of the idiosyncracies of the people living in other parts of the Junpire. Those same principles that were necessary to hold together and maintain the Empire were necessary in their relations with one another in iSouth Africa. (Hear, hear). With consideration of each other's feelings ami toleration in times of difficulty,' tney would gradually grow into one people, with one common ideal, and the future of South Africa must then be groat; and would add to the glorious strength of the British Empire. (Cheers). In concluding, Mr Fowlds expressed cordial thanks to the Government and people of South Africa for the kinuly reception they had accorded to himself and his fellow delegates.