SOUTH AFRICA.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 12379, 24 February 1903, Page 3

SOUTH AFRICA.

LABOR QUESTIO-'. E.'co vei VetrailT 24. 0.59 a.n. LondjN. February 23. The Johannesburg Chamber of Mines and the Native Labor Association have sent a commissioner to China to report upon the question of the employment of Chinese labor on the Band. The prospects of recruiting South African natives are muoh brighter, as the Kaffirs are responding to offers of higher wages. ME CHAMBERLAIN AND THE BOND. London, February 22. Dating his reply to the Bond deputation, Mr Chamberlain said he wiahed he could think that he would be alive to see the fulfilment of federation. He was confident with regard to the rsat of South Africa, and now almost sanguine as to the Cape itself. The time of his active service for the Empire was necessarily drawing to a clots, and the greatest happiness of hit life would be if hit last act of statesmanship was to unite the two white races. BeoelreS February 23, 9,43 p.m.

February 23. The Bond’s address protested that its members wore unalterable in their attachment to the British connexion. They fervently hoped for federation on the model of Australia and Canada. Mr Hofmeyr promised to appeal to the Dutch to promote good understanding and the happiness and prosperity of all classes. He deprecated all offensive acts by either racs. Mr Chamberlain said tb&t Mr Hofmeyr’s admirable statement

was a hopeful and happy augnry

■ _ for the future peace and goodwill. He complained that the deputation treated the rebellion too lightly, and challenged the statement that racial differences dated from the Jameson raid. Personally, ha considered they began a quarter of a century ago. Referring to federation, be expressed tbe hope that some day one great parliament of an imperial race would be established.

WAR EXPENSES. Uoccited February 23, 10.1 p.!n, London, February 23. Boater's agency states that it was informally suggested to Ur Chamberlain thst a Cape war contribution of £10,000,000 would be a final and absolute proof of Dutch loyalty. In some Quarters it was urged that the amount was excessive. Mr Chamberlain declined any contribution which was not mads absolutely unanimously and spontaneously.

EXPORTS PROM NEW ZEALAND, Wellington, Monday.

The subsidised steamer Kent, which sailed to-day for South African ports, took the following cargol6,Bos carcases mutton, 8819 quarters beef, 1700 carcases lamb, SCO sides pork, 1963 boxes butter, 421 crates poultry, 78 cheese, 460 boxes potatoes, 109 hexes fish, SO boxes milk, 983 sacks oats, 222 sacks bran, 25 seeks oatmeal, 163 cases meats, 65 boxes tongues, 13 cases onions, 4 bales woollen goods, 437 cases sundries. NUE9SS’ FUND. Dunedin, Monday.

At a final meeting of the subscribers to the Otago tnd Southland Nurses’ Fund a credit balance of £l2l was shown. It was decided to vote £lO to each of seven nurses and give the balance to the Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Fund. It was decided to send a letter of thanks to Major Pilcher, of Cape Town, for services rendered to New Zealanders, and send to him a silver medal as a souvenir.

MEMORIAL TO FALLEN TROOPERS. Oajiaru, Monday. Some twenty competitive designs for a monument to fallen troopers were sent in response to the request of the local committee. After consideration the daaign of Bergson J uad Paid, of Dunedin, arobiteots, waa awarded the £lO prize, and that of J. _M. Forrester, of Oamaiu, the £5 prize. The design selected by the committee was the first prize one with certain modifications taken from a second design submitted by Bergamini and Reid. The total height will be 341 feet, including a twelve foot figure of a trooper in marble, and also a life-size figure of a lion at the foot of the monument, which will ha erected at the junction of Thames and Severn streets. The structure will cost about £I2OO.