CLOSER UNION.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 44, 20 August 1908, Page 7

CLOSER UNION.

THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONVEN- | TION. ! Bf Telegraph.— Press Aesooiation.— Copyright. DURBAN, lSlh August. The National Convention of delegates from Cape Colony, the Transvaal, Orange River Colony, and Natal, to 'discuss tho question of closer union, and the formation of a South African Federation, will meet at Durban in October. In May last, the following resolutions ! were passed by the Intercolonial Cbnfer- | ence with regard to closer union : — "(a) That in the opinion .of this conference the best interests and the permanent prosperity of »South Africa can only be secured by an early union, under the ' Crown of Great Britain, of the several self-governing colonies, (b) That to the union contemplated in the foregoing resolution, Rhodesia shall be entitled to admission, at such time and on suchconditions as may hereafter be agceed upon, (c) That the members of this conference agree to submit the foregoing resolutions to the Legislatures of their respective colonies, and to take such steps as may be necessary to obtain their consent to the appointment of de- . legates to a National South African Conivention, whose object shall be to con-i sider and report on the most desirable ■ form of South African Uition, and to prepare a draft constitution, (d) Tho convention shall consist of not more i than twelve (12) delegates from the Cape Colony, not more than eight (8) delegates from the Transvaal, and nofc j more than five (5) delegates from Natal ! and the Orange River Colony respectively, and it shall meet as soon as convenient after the next sessions of all the Parliaments',- provided that as soon- as' at least two colonies shall have appointed their delegates the convention shall be considered as constituted, (c) The convention shall publish the draft constitution as soon as possible, and shall, in consultation with the Governments of the self-governing colonies, determine the further steps to do taken in reference thereto, (f) In the convention the voting shall be per capita, and nofc by States. A chairman shall be elected from the members, who shall have the right of speaking and votings and, in the event of an equality of votes, shall have a. casting vote."