UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 249, 20 October 1908, Page 4

UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA.

BANQUET TO THE BRITISH FLEET.

SPEECHES BY TRANSVAAL ,

MINISTERS

[press association.] (Received Oct. 19, 9.55 p.m.) ■ , V DURBAN, Oct. 19. The Government gave a banquet at Durban in honor of the visit of. the British .squadron, ,' 1 The speeches chiefly referred in a spirit-of 'ljopefulness to South African unity; , '-'■■'' ■ ; ■':;' " .',;' ';- . :;"•■ ': Mr J3\> De> Villiers, Attorney^General for the Transvaal, regretted that the Convention was secret, as tihfe statesmanlike utterances or the '■ delegates would" b& well calculated t6- convince the puMie - and secure;' a satisfactory solutioii"^ '■■'

■Mr, J.> G. Smuts, Colonial Secretary for the" 'Transvaal, appealed to the: public' to-banish their suspicions "that the' Convention was either hostile to Natal or to the British throughout | South Africa. On the contrary, the •delegates were trying on a basis of equality <-nd justice to secure an enduring non*racial settlement. Although, peace between the British and the Boers was concluded at Vereeniging, yet until a further and larger step was taken there w.ould remain a certain element of disunion and--discord. The Convention, he (trusted, would perfect the work begun iat Vereenigine; otherwise State '. bickering ... might. strangle South Africa's' future. The people must make sacrifices to. secure the high .ideal of on© State, one Government and one people.