QUITE UNEXPECTED.

Northern Advocate, 29 August 1919, Page 5

QUITE UNEXPECTED.

GENERAL SMUTS ACTING.

(Received 10.15 a.m.)

CAPETOWN, Aug. -28

The news of General Botha's death came as a stunning shock. He caught a chill a few days ago when on a visit to his farm and was confined to bed on his return to Pretoria. Nothing serious was anticipated, but his illness took a sudden for the worse last night, Mrs Botha and Captain Botha were present at the time of the General's death but no other relatives, owing to the sudden climax.

General Smuts, as senior minister, will act as Premier. —A. and N.Z.

General the Rt. Hon, Louis Botha, P. 0., was in his 56th year. He was the first Premier of the Transvaal and of the South African Conr federaton (1910), At the outset of the Boer War he opposed President Kruger's belligerent policy, but then •became one of our doughtiest adversaries. After that war's close he ap pealed to both the Boers and their ,fellow-subects in England to "let the jblood of the ibrave who found their graves in South Africa be the cement ,that will bind us together." In X9H he attended the Imperial Conference and received degrees at Oxford, Cambridge, and Glasgow Universities. ,He was made an honarary general of the British army in 1912. The great controversy between him and General JHertzog in 1913 will be well remembered. In 1914 General Botha cook the strong steps of deporting-various 'strike leaders, who were sent to England and forbidden to return, but jsubsequently were given permission .to do so. During the great war 'which closed last November he made Jmany noble utterances concerning .South Africa's sympathy with Great Britain and her allies, and in September, 1914, he became commander of r the South African troops. In the ( Autumn of that year he was respo.v .sible for quickly subduing the De Wet .rising, and he had a complete triumph •pver the enemy in German S.W. .Africa, which greatly enhanced hi 3 already fine reputation.