The Dominion. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1910. SOUTH AFRICAN SITUATION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 960, 29 October 1910, Page 4

The Dominion. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1910. SOUTH AFRICAN SITUATION.

' ; His Koyal Highness the Duke of Connaught, uncle of the JiiNQ, opens the first Parliament, *of the South African Union on Friday, November 4, and, after a brief adjournment, the legislative work of the session will begin under the Premiership of Geneeal- Botha. One member of the Botha Ministry—Mr. F. 11, Mooe, of Natal—rejected' by his constituents and finding no one prepared to vacate a seat in Mb iavour, lias resigned his portfolio as Minister for Commerce. Ho has, however, been comforted to somo extent'with a seat in the Senate. But the Premier obviously was less anxious to retain Mr. Mook than to secure the presence in his Cabinet of Me. Hull. Me. Hull, like ueneral Botha and Me. Mooe, was one of tho disjecta membra of the first Union Ministry, and, ut is understood, the Premier agreed to accept one of the numerous soats offered him only on condition that Me. Hull would adopt the same means of Tcturning to Parliament; Seats were found for the Premier and the Minister for Finance, but, so far as known on this side, no new Minister for Commerco has as yet been selected. Several London newspapors, which'professed_ to possess extensive and reliable information, stated several weeks ago that General Botha was bent upon tho entire reconstruction of his Cabinet. This wo should Say is most unlikely. The ranks of tho Nationalists provide no excess of possible Ministers, even allowing for the peculiar circumstance that, moro especially in the Transvaal, political and administrative fitness has hitherto not always been considered absolutely requisite for Ministerial rank. Still, wo think it will not be difficult to discover among Nationalists a Minister for Commerce as capable as Me. Mooe. Nor would General Botha err were he to replaco Messrs. Fisoiier and Hertzog by two .Ministers less violently partisan than those two furious orators from the Free State. The Premier would be wise to select as his Cabinet members who would be not altogether obnoxious, but fairly acceptable, to the British community in South Africa. That tho Union Ministry will remain practically unchanged may bo considered assured. General Botha declares that he and his I'-urfcy will retain their present majority for at least five years—a somewhat rare confession of faith, by the way, from a Prgminr just returned to uower.

The General _ seems at times to bo over-frankj just as on occabions ho certainly is manifestly diplomatic. \Yith every dosae to give •übkmul Boi'ha and the members of his Government credit for honesty of speech and fairness of action, we are yet compolled to sympatnise somewuat with those who allege lack of candour against the Union Premier, as against more than one of his colleagues, notably messes, smuts ancl Malan. The two contradictory policies within tho Cabinet with respect to education in tho Free biatc, and tho history of the negotiations on the subject of a coaiiuion Government, render it desirable that more light should be given .011 this question. Take the Free State education question, for example. General Botha says nis Government is opposed to compulsion, and lavours the instruction medium being the mother tongue of the child taugut. Messrs. Jmscher and Hertzog state that compulsion is necessary, and that English children shall be taught Dutah irrespective of the parents' desires. (Jn the subject of tho negotiations with JJk. Jameson. i\ir. Merriman let the cat out of the bag six weeks ago by informing his constituents that he knew from what he was. told by hi? "friends" that there was to be no coalition. General Botha, accused of insincerity, just before the elections wrote that in January he finally communicated to Dr. Jameson tho knowledge that coalition was impossible. In reply, Sir Percy Fjtzpatkick announces that down to May lie was employed by Genehalj Botha in negotiating with Dll. Jameson, tho object being a coalition Government. While the beginning of the Union might have been under happier conditions, it is not impossible that relations parties will gradually improve.; The Union has before it undertakings of the utmost moment, not only to South Africa itself, but also to tho_ Empire. Within the Union the native, population is about' lour times larger than the white, while from the Zambesi south-, wards the ratio is approximately eleven blacks to one white. The Union Parliamqnt has to decide, and that very soon, tho demand of the educated native for the franchise, and it haß to ' provide for the future, and early, effective control of the entire. native, population of South Africa. Already the Cape coloured inhabitants have the vote, and we observe that a Kaffir clergyman has there just been returned a member of the Provincial Council. The Cape, wine and brandy farmers desire to supply their liquor to the natives in all the four provinces: Na.fcal claims the right of iimporting indentured coolies from India. Liquor must be kept from the tivc-s, and the. importation of coolie labour must cease But before the parties chiefly interested acquiesce in these needful reforms it will be difficult to avoid heartburnings and angry discords. The Botha Government, prior to submitting themselves to the public'for approval, decided to make office financially worth while. A yearly salary of £4000 goes to tho Prime Minister, and to every other Minister,£3ooo per annum. This arrangement' will probably; come under review in Parliament, as well as several appointments made by the Government. Defence is down for early'consideration,'also means for encouraging local industries. Land settlement iB proceeding/slowly, restricted as yet to the placing of indigent whites: on. the land. It is pleasing to learn by the speeches of Genebal Botha and Me. Smuts that the Union Government has no whimsical and absurd ideas with respect to land South Africa, fortunately, has a. strong Opposi- , tion:. Parliament will be as a 1 searchlight upon the doing;, of _ the Government. The present position 1 is explosive and .unsatisfactory to a degree, but with fairness and frankI ness on one side, and tact and a considerable measure of. charity on the other, no; reason exists why harmony should not prevail. The chief doubtß concern themselves with the fairness and the frankness, .the tact and the charity. '