UNION MAY BE EFFECTED NEXT YEAR.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 423, 4 February 1909, Page 5

UNION MAY BE EFFECTED NEXT YEAR.

, : -.j A. PERIOD OF TENSION. y : i '■■■■:. 3, 10.53 ■■'. '%■'■ '-)''■:?'■ \l : Durban, February 3. .The Closer Union Convention has'reached a complete' agreement,.: and , .will ■ rise ■■' to- • morrow. Though there is no official news, it is confirmed that /Capetown is to he the seat of : the Legislature,.and. Pretoria the seat of the Administration. , :' ;.■': :■' : ' •The' : draft-Constitution was completed a fortnight ago,-save for the preamble' and the site of : . the' capital.;' After a'week.had elapsed,/ Natal arid the Orange River-Colony were' persuaded .that they 'had no claim, and left 1 .the decision jri the hands of their colleagues' from "the Transvaal aid Cape' Colony. ''All;compromises, including the;suggestion of a neutrah site, were .rejected. ; The' dele- . gates were physically-. and Wearied •by, the interminable, and' apparently:'; futile discussion.... The /crisis .terminated, yesterday evening;-.- ■; :.-~. ; .-.-. "■v "'■-..■ ■'•'-.•■'.■ :; : -''I'-". ■'/■/ ' The. now-prbppse to address meetings' in the various; centres ".. to expound the Constitution, which will be submitted simultaneously to'special sessions of; the-South African' Parliaments at : the' end 'of'. March. Afterwards.. the Convention; will assemble again to consider-the proposed amendments.. : Assuming'.that ..no -insurmountable obstacles' .arise,' , the : Imperial' Parliameni) will pass .an Act, based: upon thei petitions, of-the .South' African that'unioiliWillb'e accomplished-nest year. ■ '■■~ : '':\''Z:: : ] : JIHE'CASE;T6R ; UNiTY. ; ::."*;",; : ; : ; y: "Throe; chqic3s lie' before the people- of South Africa. //The ..makesHift. regime- of the' "High Commissioner,- the , jarring' separation ■ of, the States (if: South •■ America,', the/noble union of tho/States; of .North. , America."/: .So deilared Lord/.Selborne, " th'e.. Highl.Commissioneri for , • SputhyAfrioa, , '•■ in ;. an important '•memorandum. .on:South-African:■ federation, .which-,embodied an" 'historical; . survey .of - the whole'/: question, •with- 'specific treatment.: of fiscal, ■' -labonr; ' and railway; 'problems, ; and; .urged: that these problems., cannot be.. solved : except by federation, whioh cannot'■ be: , long postponed. ■' ■ ■ /■ : :. . ■ "lVhat'South Africa , requires more' than , ariy:tlung else,"..he- said,./,;.%;■ stability—stability m. political conditions,'./stability, in 'Cconomio condibons, , .. stability '■ in /industrial conditions, liuc.'true.' stability will'■ remain impoesiblo loh^' •as v.there are ■ five ./Governments in South Africa, '■ <sach developing a; different system in , ■alL.branches; of public life, and eabli a potential antagonist of the: other.-but not' oris national (loy.ernment with; ■':,t6 ■;/harmonise .the- .whole.;. South:-. Africa, can- only bo ■ wisely and.successfully.governed by a Scuth African. I Gpyernment: responsible. to. the '.South '.Parliament, ■ .elected,' by: the 'South'-■■ African ■people." . v<:■.-.■: .-■■'<%)»/. a\ >■■: ■..■-■■i-,-«i--.-\:-:". ■ ~af)rd,;'.Selborne,.,pointed.;ontvV.what'ii'a': -field , thicky-. sown 'with 'the seeds of quarrel i and strife /arc. the' railway' systoms of ; South Africa; ;:tliat. the .fanners,' are , : molested -by.-posts ; that the- mining- industry, lacks labour; :AlPof -these things might bo remedied, .lie believed; by'liarmjjjjy of control ■throughout South Africa; . - .. Tbo sequel -to this memorandum was' the' Convention con=;?ting/of. delegates of all. the. South African Goye'rnments which has been, sitting ntPnrban ; and. Capetown;*.' Sir : Henr.r'de Vil- 1 liers.ihe Chief 'Justice, of Cape Colony, who presided.over tlio Convention, is in favour: , of unification'as against federation. , Ho'does not State Legislatures as. well as. the Federal Legislature. ';>''.-- v/:-:-':/;' : '■:■ ■■/■'-■■.' /,••.■. ■.-.- ■