COALITION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 742, 15 February 1910, Page 5

COALITION.

PROSPECTS IN SOUTH AFRICA. JAMESON ON MERRBLAN. By Telegraph—Press Association—Oopyrleht (Rec. Fobruary 14, 11 p.m.) Cape Town, February 14. ; The speech of the Progressive leader, Dr; Jameson, at Capo Town- (cabled yestorday), in; reply to Mr. Merriman's attack on the coalition movement, has mado an enormous impression, ; and has . been favourably received by' the moderate section, of the South African party. 1 Dr. Jameson remarked that although Mr./lilerrimanhad complained, that ..a coalition. would abolish party .govern-: meiit,. he., had once declared. that party government had brought. Cap'e / Colony some of;.its greatest woes. Dr. Jameson added;, that ;Mr; Merriman : demanded.' a critical Opposition.. Perhaps, in the first Union. Government, 1 such, an . Opposition would.- not exist, but "in that case there would' 'be ' a more . efficient and : ' critical body;iri.the new Parliament. V 'v. ; ■ Mr.. Merriman, tho .Progressive / leader .declared, ;was the obsequious tool, : not the leader, of .the Afrikander; Bond. .. . A NON-RACIAL COALITION—HET VOLK'S ATTITUDE ■ ■'■'-./.'. ; . Pretoria, February- 13. ' ; The .."Transvaal Leader" believes the' Immediate future will disclose: the :fact that within Iho.llet Volk (the Boer-or-ganisation in the Transvaal) there,will; be found a! preponderance of sympathy for 1 the . non-racial views . of Generals ii.. .and ..Smuts,:.which will enable them ;to join Dr. Jameson ■ . [Dr.; Jameson, in tho last week of list .year, i.paid 'a .;flying ; visit-. to; •: Pretoria (writes a correspondent of the "Times") and had a long interview with General Bothai':.who ;,canie' up "from his farm, for the'purpose; -and with other members of the Transvaal Government.' This is popularly supposedto indicate, that the project of. a coalition Government, which has hitherto been scouted by the Ministerial party ' and the press : throughout South Africa, has,once':more entered into the region; of practical politics. ' The impression is confirmed by recent-speeches of General Botha's, colleagues, ; who, without committing; themselves to approval of i, coalitionj have been vaguely preaching the desirability' ;of-. associating, "all'. the -hist - brains in the ; country" in the first; Union Ministry.; Moreover, the ■;' ; r Volksstem," . ."the organ: of liet Voile,. which had not -.concealed -its ; annoyance,. at'; Dr.. Jameson's' decision to take a hand in Union:politics, has lately adopted a much less, uncompromising attitude. Both sides are steady lly proceeding: ivith' their - organisation. In' spite.,of'/certain,personal'jealousies; about' leadership, '; the Bond, - - Het - Volk, and OrangiaVUnife havcj.virtually.-joined forces! .while;,the: Capo, arid•' Transvaal.. Progres-. sives, and' the,: minority ■ ia£?' ; 'the'--- Orange Biver Colony may be regarded-' as- ' a single party, under Dr. ,'Jameson.]