RACIAL TROUBLES IN SOUTH AFRICA

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 123, 9 February 1923, Page 5

RACIAL TROUBLES IN SOUTH AFRICA

CONFLICT BOUND TO COME COLOURED POPULATION GAINING STRENGTH « Hr Telegraph.—Special Correspondent. Chrisfthurch, February 7. A recent arrival in Christchurch from Cape Town is Dr. Denham, D.Sc., who has been appointed professor of clieni’stry at Canterbury College. Dr. Denham left Christchurch as a- student in 1906, and studied in England and abroad for a number of years. In 1911 ho went to Brisbane, Queensland, whore he was on the University staff for about nine years. At the beginning of 1921 he went to Cape Town, where he stayed for two years before coming on to New Zealand. When asked about the racial troubles in South Africa. Dr. Denham said that there was little doubt that the coloured population was gradually in strength and organising more thoroughly. It was, in truth, becoming more and more a factor to bn reckoned with politically. The white population was a little over 1.500.000, and was very much in the minority. Coloured people were entitled to the vote on condition that tlfby hpd reached a certain stage of educational development, and already there were coloured representatives. “My own feelings, based on observation of the situation, are that sooner or later trouble must come between the coloured and white Populations,” said Dr. Denham, “and that when it commences it will be tho only thing that will hold the Dutch, and English together. Most thinking people hold the view that sooner or later it must become a black man’s country, but that time will come only when the blacks are developed sufficiently to assume control. But they are becoming an increasingly important factor to be taken into account.”