CAPE POLITICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 April 1923, Page 1

CAPE POLITICS.

'AN IMPORTANT MOVE. AUSTRALIAN' AND X.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. CAPETOWN, Ann! 20. With a view to meeting the hostile propaganda. Air Oresswell (Labour ' leader) Jins drawn up. and General 1 Hertzog has approved, a statement defining their mutual relations as leaders of the Nationalist and Labour Parties, constituting the opposition. Mr Cresswell and General Hertzog, in the statement, sum up the substance of their discussions on the political situation. The statement says that the common opposition of their two parties to the present Government, and to its supperters i- largely due to the necessity of combating the Government's trend oi policy, which is glowing continuously more pronounced in recent years, namely, that the Government acts as though it is dominated by a conviction that the country’s interests will he best served by taking the “Big Finance” view of the internal and economic problem. The most obvious difficulty in the way of co-operation in opposing the Government's candidate at the elections is a belief with which some members of the English-speaking section arc inoculated, that if the Nationalists are returned to power, they would immediately try to ‘‘cut the painter,” and establish a Republic. A lesser difficulty arises from country dwellers having fears regarding Labour's platform. Mr C'res well -ays that he is unalterably opposed to “catling the painter.” He had pointed out to General Horlzog that a, majority of the English-' speaking South Africans are most sen- j sitive on i his subject Thereupon General Hertzog gave an -explicit undertaking to the electors at the next general election, that in the I’arliament then to be elected, should a Notionalist Government come into power, no Nationalist member of .Parliament would use his vote to upset the existing constitutional relations of South Africa to the British Crown. “We are agreed,” says the -tnl”ment. “that in these circumstances we could quite properly recommend to our respective parties election co-operation, v. ilh a view to avoiding three-cornered contest Recognising a difference between the two parties, not only oi the political outlook, hut probably racial and other prejudices. General Hertzog and Mr 0.-es-e'el! have agreed that in the event of any election co-operation, each elected candidate will owe allegi- I anco entirely to his own parly, votes i being given him by the other party’s i supporters on this clear understanding. i