MR. FOWLDS IN AFRICA.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1020, 9 January 1911, Page 5

MR. FOWLDS IN AFRICA.

INTERVIEW IN SYDNEY. IMPRESSIONS OF THE TOUR. By Telecraph—Press Association-Copyright. .(Rec. January 9, 0.45 a.m.) Sydney, January 8. Mr. Fowlds, New Zealand Minister for Education, on being interviewed in Sydney, stated that he had thoroughly enjoyed his visit' to South Africa. He travelled over six thousand- miles by special train through Africa, but ho thinks New Zealand and Australia have nothing to learn from South Africa so far' as the art of government is concerned'. South Africa will never be a white man's country, as the coloured people so immensely outnumber tho whites. Tho coloured people are of a sturdy stook, and increase very fast. Therefore ho was not sorry to hear that the Indian Government ha& prohibited tho indenturing of any more Indians for the sugar plantations in Natal. Tho news would be very welcome to the Union Parliament, as, with the exception of the sugar planters, everyone was in favour of excluding the coolie.

Mr. Fowlds believes Rhodesia will eventually come into the Union,, though for a good many years it will probably go along on its own lines as a Crown colony. There was not the slightest doubt that the British' and Dutch will work well together. Now that the Union has been established there is very, little bitterness between tho two nations, the little feeling aroused by the elections soon subsiding, as everybody had confidence in General Botha. Before many years there would.be a general national sentiment, and questions would arise which would make entirely new lines of cleavage in politics, and which would range both English and Dutch on each side. Al-. ready this has been indicated. Though there was no Labour party in Africa, as understood in Australia, there was the nucleus of such a party, but up to tho present the Labour representatives had provincial limitations. Mr. Fowlds predicted that tho outcome, of tho movement would., bo the. formation of a Federal Labour party. He was satisfied. that English would be the language of tho future in the Union.