SOUTH AFRICA

Evening Star, Issue 12884, 6 August 1906, Page 6

SOUTH AFRICA

CHINESE ON THE RAN©. FUTURE OF THE COLONIES. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright, LONDON, August 5. In the House of Commons, in answer to a question, Mr Winston Churchill said that the coolies who had withdrawn their applications for repatriation would not be compelled to return to China. He added that the murders committed hy the Chinese during the first six months they were on the Rand comprised two whites, four colored persons, and twenty-one yellow persons. [SpBCIAi TO THE STAR.] AUCKLAND, August 6. Interviewed upon the Transvaal Constitution question, Mr E. H. Oudaille, who has resided in Johannesburg for the past four yeare, and is a son of a well-known pioneer of Gabriel's Gully, said: "If the British come to the top he was going back, but if not he would give the country a wide berth. When he left for New Zealand things were very dull in Johannesburg. The people were., waiting to see what would happen, and. like himself, would decline to live under Dutch rule. In tho Transvaal everything was at a standstill. Building had ceased, and railway work, in the meantime, was at. an end. " But mining work must he going on? *' "'Yes," replied Mr Oudaille" " but if the Chinese were repatriated there would only bo a certain number of mines worked. British residents feared Lbe Boers would come into power. It would be tho toss up of a vote or two which party were dominant. The Boers kept very quiet and very secret, but they would be ready to right at any tune, and weio always looking forward to getting their country back again. He did not agree with the cabled newspaper opinions, especially that of the Toronto 'Globe,' that the Boers would appre ciate the magnanimity of their being treated as trustworthy friends. The census of 1904 gave tho British adult residents as 57,713 and the Dutch a>- 55,695. The British being in a majority, they should have a greater voting power or more members, but under the Constitution they would not, and it would rest on a vole or two which would come Into power. The people were leaving the country. It was estimated that 12,000 had left, since January, but, of course, out of (hat total there were a great many who would go back it the British were in power. The administration at present was bad. for officials wire sent out from England who knew nothing of the requirements of the country. Yen- likely Mr Stead was right in raying thai the Bocis would have power. There were a certain number of British who sympathised with the Boere, and would vote with them, but these were chiefly those who had axtc; to grind and were going with the party they thought would rule. The Premier of England himself wan a. pro-Boer, a::d so was the Home Sec re tan - ." " And what will happen if tlie Boere get into power 9 '' " The progress, of the country will come to a standstill, for the reason that tho British will not be governed hy tho Boer:-', and the Dutch and German 'element will run the country. A German coming to New Zealand bec.-mi-.w a Britisher, hut in South Africa he became a Boer. The imports since the war have been 80 per cent. British, hut if the ]hitch get info power they propose to do away with Preferential Trade, and the. imports will be from Germany and Holland. There will be war again there; yet, ;us sure as day dawns, when the Boers obtain power. It is well known that there will he a revaluation ,n« soon as the Dutch get into office. The Botm don't want cheap labor there, because it means more British, and the Boers want as few British as possible. It will yet be Majuba over agaJn. If, however, the British gain power and much, of the country is irrigated there will be room for a great deal of settlement, and the country would go ahead; but if the Boers get the power—well, I, for one, am not gong back."