A UNIQUE SITUATION.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVII, Issue 203, 28 August 1913, Page 5

A UNIQUE SITUATION.

BOTHA-HERTZOG QUARREL

RIVAL MEETINGS.

rPKESR Association.] Aug. 28, 0.5 a.m.) ..,.■■ CAPETOWN, Aug. 27, The acute situation at Rustenberg is almost unique in South African politics. • Threats by apparently responsible people to upset Mr Botha 8 meeting rallied the Premier's adherents. , The hotels are crowded, and surplus -visitors, are being accommodated, in tents, and waggons in the principal streets.

Extraordinary ovations were accorded Mr Botha in the back country district, supposedly to be a Hert■zogian stronghold. Mr Botha ridicules the idea of his resignation when he commands a majority of 27. Regarding Imperialism, Mr Botha remarked that he wasi a South African above all, but he did not go about saying what he would do if the Imperial Government did .anything conflicting with.South African interests. T\ifr Hertzog reminded him cf a man on liis honeymoon saying what he would do if his wife was unfaithful.

The meeting, /by a majority, voted confidence in Mr Botha, shouldered liim liigh, and with wild ovations -carried" him to "his liotel, half a mile away. . . ." ' ■ • Subsequently Mr Hertzog addressed 1000 supporters. He declared that erie of the coming questions was whether they would have a Federal or Imperial Parliament, in whicti South Africa would have one representative to 60 representatives of England, and whether the South African Parliament should be reduced to the status of a provincial body, allowing the Federal Parliament to deal with -Customs. Apparently Mr Botha's reply would be "yes-" Replying to the question of the possibility of a conflict with Britain unless they conciliated her, Mr Hertzog argued that the Constitution would never be withdrawn if th^ Imperial Government always kept its promises to the Dominions. The meeting resolved that the" only solution was Mr Steyne's recommendation in favor of Mr Botha's resignation. .