SOUTH AFRICA’S FLAG

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 17, 4 January 1927, Page 5

SOUTH AFRICA’S FLAG

BILL TO BE PROCEEDED WITH. LABOUR PARTY CONGRESS. Capetown, Jan. 3. Opening the Labour party annual congress at Bloemfontein, Colonel Creswell said the Premier had authorised him to state that the Flag Bill would be proceeded with, but in addition to the suggestion for the inclusion of the Imperial Crown, the Government would consider the adoption of a Royal JSjgX.:. Standard, which [EflMpb would ehiniii.it..' the idea that it was intended to fr-J? i> ignore connection ji’i . \ »’ with the Empire. »V ” Thl s, however, ,r ‘ $ i would necessitate n Tb 1 cessation of party strife and the consent of the Opposi- " A tion, as they could Colonel Creswen. not petition the King to use the domestic symbol of the Royal House except as a united people. Mr. Boydell, referring to the suggested re-orientation of the parties, said the Labour party in any case would maintain a separate identity. It could never co-operate with a combined South African Nationalist party. An animated debate followed the proposal of a resolution congratulating General Hertzog on the success of his labours at the Imperial Conference, expressing the conviction that the declaration would promote unification of the white races in South-Africa, and expressing the belief that the proposed flag settlement would be an additional factor in promoting national unity. Several members strongly protested against being asked to commit themselves on the flag question and demanded that the two parts of the resolution be separated. The resolution was carried with ten dissentients. —(A. and N.Z.)