FOR FIRST TIME

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 59, 7 September 1938, Page 13

FOR FIRST TIME

BROTHERS MEET

BOER WAR VETERAN RETURNS

. When the Maunganui arrived at Wellington from Sydney this morning, two brothers who had never previ- [ ously met, made each other's acquaint- ; .ance. They were Dr. Alan Tennent, of : Hataitai, and his older brother, Mr. I L. C. Tennent, now of Dar-es-Salaam, ■ Tanganyika. ** ■ Thirty-eight years ago, Mr. L. C. i Tennent left New Zealand for South ; Africa with the First New Zealand , Contingent, and took part in the Boer i War. He was so pleased with South Africa that he remained there after the war and did not return to New ' Zealand. As a result he had not met the youngest jof his brothers, Dr. Ten- . nent, who was born after his depart- . ure for South Africa. As was pointed out at the recent annual meeting of the Wellington South African Veterans'. Association, Mr. Tennent can probably lay claim to be the last New Zealand soldier to return from the Boer Wai*. In an interview today Mr. Tennent said that reports of German agitation so far as Tanganyika was concerned were definitely exaggerated. On the whole a very happy feeling existed between the German and the British settlers, although it was true that all were compelled to register and that they were to some extent subject to dictation from outside sources.-, Nevertheless, Dar-es-Salaam, which meant "Haven of Peace," was very happily named. The harbour was in many ways a miniature of Sydney, and he was engaged there as secretary of- a shipping company .which carried on the most of the light- 1 ering trade of the port. "COUNTRY OF OPPORTUNITY." j "South Africa is still the country of opportunity—particularly for the right type'of man," said Mr. Tennent. "I have a very soft spot for it and after the Boer War I liked it so much that; I decided to make my home there." The political future of, the Union, said Mr. Tennent, was possibly a little uncertain when General Hertzog and General Smuts, who were both getting on in years, were compelled to relinquish political"^ leadership. ;The Dutch influence in politics was very marked,: chiefly because so many of the British settlers were too busy with other concerns to take an active interest in politics. As a result the majority of the Union's politicians were of Dutch extraction. Some aspects of the political situation were a little unfortunate, but On the whole Qic Dutch element did not abuse its power. , Considerable influence in political matters was wielded by, the Predikants, or leaders of the Afrikaans Church. This aspect of the political situation, however, did not affect Tanganyika to any marked extent. Mr. Tennent said that great interest was being Shown in South Africa in the present tour of the British Rugby team, which had proved considerably stronger than had been expected. He thought that South African Rugby was probably at its peak last year when the Springboks visited New Zealand, and that the standard this season was not quite so high. It was not generally known, said Mr. Tennent, that Southern Rhodesia, which was his home; although, Dar-es-Salaam was his business place, was, per head of white population, the greatest producer of gold in Africa: The white population of 'Tanganyika territory was in the vicinity of 60,000, and it produced annually about an ounce of gold for every white settler. . .- .-,-,. ■•>•■• Mr.1 Tennent -is at presentpn six months' furlough, but as approximately four months will be taken up in travelling, he will not be able to spend more than six or eight weeks in New Zealand. Other members of the Tennent family are Messrs. H. D. Tennent (Dunedin), H. C. Tennent (Honolulu), K. B. Tennent (Auckland), Mrs. W. Olphert (Lower Hutt), and Mrs. Branson (Te Araroa).