THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONSTITUTION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1040, 1 February 1911, Page 8

THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONSTITUTION.

A STROKE ,0F GENIUS. HON. G. FOWLDS'S REMARKS. An interesting address on South African atfeurs was delivered yesterday by tho Hon. G. i-'o\ylils, as the guest at luncheon of the Ken- Zealand Club. Mr. P. C. I'rcetli presided. Generally sneaking, said Mr. Fowlds, .there existed a belief that the Liberal parly at Home was inimical to colonial interests, .lie never had been able to find any, justification for this in history. Quite the contrary, was the case. History showed that that great democratic institution—the conferring of selfgovernment upon the overseas empires, was conceived and granted by Liberal statesmen. Gladstonu gave back to tho Boers the Transvaal at tho close of tho first Boor war. The speaker's recent visit to South Africa had convinced him that •this action was not only inevitable in the interests of the Empire, but that it was one of tile conditions'that made possible the retention of South Africa as a portion of tho L'mnire.- (Applause.) The mistake Gladstone had made had been in not giving effect to those earlier speeches in which he condemned the annexation of the Transvaal. Mr. Fowlds.said he believed that the annexation was one of the biggest crime? and blunders in connection with tho British in South Africa. Had tho step not been taken there would probably have been a peaceful development of South Africa as a part of the Empire. Ho looked forward to the ultimate peace and prosperity' of South Africa with every confidence. If the granting of the present Constitution had been delayed another three years there would have risen a condition of things which would have lost'the whole South African peninsular to us. There .would have been sporadic risings, which would, in the end, have developed into another great Beer war—and who would like to say that Britain would have been prepared to fight the la it war over again? The granting of self-government, therefore, was both a stroke.of policy and one of those acts of,genius that made the union of people possible. (Applause.) Ho had no fear whatever for the future as far as the two white races in South Africa were concerned. Here and there a feeling existed against the handing over to the Boors of the government of the country, but generally this feeling was confined to narrow spheres; and it was recognised that tho Boers should be given a chance to do their best for tho country.. In any case, it was perhaps only right that those wlki had suffered defeat should be granted this concession. He had not, however, found the feeling to be any stronger than would be the cose politically in any other country of the Empire. -Everyone 'in South Africa recognised thai the idc-r.l should be to make the conntiy one of the finest in the Empire. (Loud applause.)

j.n? presidont .-aiil tne warm apphifye that had greeted the Minister's- address was a sufficient indication of the appreciation of the club.