THE COLOURED MAN.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 98, 18 January 1908, Page 5

THE COLOURED MAN.

HIS TREATMENT BY THE WHITE. , .A DEPUTATION. REPLY OF BRITISH PREMIER. DY TKI.EGRAI'iI—PRESS , ASSOCIATION—COrTItIQIIT, | London, Janiiary 16. . Mr. Holford Knight, on behalf of a small informal'cOmmittce, presented a memorial to Sir H. Canipboll-Bannerman in relation to the policy of jmartial law in Zululand and the trial of tho chief Dinizulu. In reply, Sir Henry Camphell-Bannerman sliows that Lord Elgin (Secretary of State, for tho Colonies) at the outset of tho disturbances ill Zululand' offered suggestions- which Natal readilj; accepted, including, a public trial of Dinizuhi. Moreover, Sir Charles' Saunders, civil commissioner in Zululand, recommendod the courso which had been pursued. .. ; The Prime Minister says, ho prefers not to discuss tho proposition that it could bo necessary' for. tho Government to take, so serious a step as advising His Majesty to disallow an act of indemnity after' it had received the approval of- snoh-'a colony' as Natal,'which was. fully responsible for peace,' order, and good' government within her own borders. f s FINGER-PRINT REGISTRATION, . MEETING' IN SUPPORT. . -. ■ Pretoria, January 16. A crowded'meeting of citizens; at Pretoria heartily .supported strict adherence to the Asiatic Registration Act. • CANADA AMD JAPAN. LAURIER WILL RELY ON JAPANESE RESTRICTIONS; London, January 16. Router's Tokio correspondent', reports that the 'Government lias received notification to tho effect',that'/the' report''of Mr. Lemieux (the Canadian Minister for Labour, who visited Japan to negetiato for a settlement of the Japanese immigration difficulty) is entirely. satisfactory,' and that Sir ,W, Laurioi(Canadian Prilno; Minister) is ready to accept Japan's, verbal proiniso to restrict emigration to Canada to labourers, ho relying upon tho promise of tho Japanese Govornmont to en--force'the'necessary regulations. UNDERSTANDING CONFIRMED. ' (Rec. Jan, 17, 11.45 p.m.) '• Ottawa, January 17. A satisfactory understanding. between Canada and Japan as to restricting tho hum-' bor-of'-labourers • emigrating to Canada lias been confirmed in official circles. A PRECEDENT, : ' THE '.INCIDENT .OF. 1000. . The cautious reply- of the Prilne Minister infers that the Government is-, desirous of avoiding such a r crisis as arose-with the' Natal Government in 1906. In that year, after tli'u killing of Sub-Inspector Huut and; a -trooper, who were trying, to arrest' natives who refused, to pay poll-tax, a number of natives . were . > arrestedand tried -'.for /murder by a court-martial composed of live Militia .officers. The trial .lasted eight days, /l'he prisonere were provided .with counsel, and !! tho'.'leySKv'forms Avero- carefully observed. Twelve,,nat.ives wereafonnd/guilly. of murder, and ivero coiuleniiicd.-tQ, be phot. 1 The sentences were confirmed by'the Governor-in ■Council, the supremo authority, in : Natal. The, execution wus fixed for Friday, .March S3;' arid _ the' tribes affected were ordered to witness -itj l -as -a' useful lesson. But- the" Home Government intervened.-'On the Wednesday ■night the Governor received a telegram, ordering him to postpone the executions. The Governor communicated this to the Natal Government, and asked the Prime Minister to suspend executions. This ho regrctteil he could not do, and the Natal. Government tendered their resignation. The Governor then ' postponed the executions under Letters Patent, flip substance of, this action, was communicated .to the ; Ilomo Government' on Thursday evening. In roply, .Lord Elgin, tho Colonial Secretary,telegraphed : . "His Majesty's Government have'at.no time had the. intention to .-interfere with t.lio action of the Responsible Government of. Natal or to control Governor in exerciso of prerogative. But your Ministers will, I feel sure, recognise that in all' the circumstances now existing, nnd in view of the presence of British troops In the Colony, his. Majesty's Government aro entitled and 'were in duty bound to obtain full and precise information in reference to these martial law cases, in regard to which an Act of Indemnity has. ultimately to bo assented to by the Crown. In the light of the information' now furnished, his Majesty's Government recognise that the decision of this grave matter rests in tho hands of your Ministers and voursel f.' , The action of the Home Government during this episode caused 'considerable'irritation, not only in Natal, but in many of tho other selfgoverning Colonies. The Australian Commonwealth Ministry and the New Zealand Government both telegraphed for information respecting the exercise' of the fveto. In replv Lord Elgin telegraphed that the Home Government ' have at no time had intention to interfere with action of : Responsible Government of Natal or to control Governor in exercise of prerogative, but that Ministers would recognise that in all the circumstances then existing, and' in view of the presence of British troops lii the Colony, His Majesty's Government were entitled and were in duty bound to obtain full and precise information as to these martini law cases." ' After the receipt of; Lord Elgin's telegram as quoted above, the Natal Ministry withdrew tneir resignations, and the incident closed with the execution of tha nntives.