NATION-BUILDING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 332, 20 October 1908, Page 7

NATION-BUILDING.

BRITON AND BOER.

MR. SMUTS ON NON-RACIAL UNION.

"BANISH SUSPICIONS." (EX IBIiEGIUPIi—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) (Rec. October-19, 9.55 p.m.) Durban, October 19. Tho GovOrnmont of. Natal gavo a banquet at Durban in honour of tho visit of the British cruiser squadron under Rear-Admiral Sir Percy Scott. The squadron is present-on tho occasion of tho' sittings of tho Federal Convention, which is to draft a constitution for Cape Colony, Transvaal, Natal, and the Orange. Rivor Colony.

Tho speeches at the banquet chiefly referred to the spirit of hopefulness with regard to South African unity. Mr. Jacob De Villiers, Attorney-General and Minister for Mines in the Transvaal Government, expressed regret that the proceedings of the Convention were being held in secret,' as. tho statesmanlike utterances of tho delegates would bo well calculated to convince the public and to secure a satisfactory solution of tho problem before the Convention.

Mr. J'. C. Smuts, Colonial Secretary of the Transvaal, appealed to the public to banish any suspicions that the Convention was eithor hostilo to Natal or to the British throughout South Africa. On tho contrary, tho delegates were trying, on a basis of perfect equality and justice, to secure an enduring non-racial settlement. Although peace between the British and tho Boers was concluded at Vereeniging, yot until a further and larger step was taken there would remain a certain element of disunion and'discord.

The Convention, ho trusted, would perfect the work begun at Vereeniging; otherwise, bickerings between the States might strangle South Africa's future. Tho people, must mako sacrifices to secure' the high ideal of "ono State, one Government, one peoplo."