SOUTH AFRICAN UNION.

Evening Star, Issue 14512, 2 November 1910, Page 5

SOUTH AFRICAN UNION.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —In a few days the cable will inform us of the crowning act to the union of the South African States under the British flag, when the first Parliament of that part of the Empire will be opened by the Duke of Connaught; yet so far there has been no proposal of any demonstration in this country to celebrate that groat event. Wo can easily call to mind the enthusiasm displayed as each of 1 ho New Zealand contingents loft for the seat of war, and the groat joy that was manifested when news arrived from time to time of success to the British arms. Victory was ours, peace was restored, and the Boers, having been grunted the freer dom of self-government under the British flag, have resolved to abide under and maintain the same. Is this event not worthy of some public recognition by the people here—a time to rejoice a little, seeing that peace has been followed by such wonderful results in so short a spaco of time ? In the absence of anything of that kind, is it not reasonable to suspect that all our patriotic displays, exceeding even to jingoism, has sprung to some extent from fear, the dread of defeat, the danger of haring our sea routes of commerce menaced and consequent depreciation of vested interests? All the enthusiasm displayed then was no doubt excusable at the time, and on this ocea- j sion the same amount of fervor could not be expected to be shown. But there is one tiling that could be done with honor and good grace, and that is to remove that captured Boer gun from under our fallen soldiers’ monument, where it is so conspicuous, or consign it to the molting pot. We must remember that the Boers arc no longer enemies, or even foreigners, but ! fellow-citizens with ourselves, and have nobly resolved to become loyal subjects of our King. The Premier of South Australia has promised to remove the i captured Boer guns they have from such a public position. We could well imagine the feelings of a British subject from the Transvaal visiting the City of Dunedin, on seeing that token i of .his countrymen's defeat at our .hands |

in war. It would lie a good things m the mouth of the representing this Dominion at the opening ceremony of the South African Parliament to say that Dunedin had resolved to do this thing on the same day.—l am, etc., Imperialist. November 1.