THE New Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENDO. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 1876.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4461, 1 March 1876, Page 2

THE New Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENDO. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 1876.

The South African States and Colonies are attracting new interest as the field of an experiment in Federaliaation, unlike any hitherto attempted in thV history of British colonisation. It is no union of homogeneous Colonies like that of Canada, or like what we hope to see one day in Australia. It is an effort to include, under the British flag, States whose independence has been recognised for! many years and whose growing power in the interior of Africa is a constant menace to the peace and progress of the Colony.

The various provinces -of the old Cape Colony, the newly annexed territories'and goldfields north of tKe Qrangejßiverj the Republics of the Free State and; sTranaraal with their diaisiond'fields and gold, and.the colony of Nalal;-are thVpfoposedmembers of the Federation. With a vast and rich territory the progress of a State so federated would be rapid... There, would be only one policy in dealing with the myriads of natives surrounding them, • one Customs Tariff, one syst'em of judicature, and one armed force for the protection of all parts of the State. This vfould be accomplished without in the least degree curbing the free action and energy in promoting local and internal progress, because each province would govern itself with perfect independence in such matmatters. The Federal Government would deal only with external and general affairs. So highly were the results of federation esteemed, in this case, that the Imperial" Government sent out Mr! Froudo on a special mission to accomplish it Mx. Froude's appointment has proved unfortunate. His Ignorance of colonial affaire, colonial habits of thought, and colonial aspirations, has wrecked for the present al] hope of federation being accomplished. Wherever he went, in the English portions of the Colony, his progress was triumphant and his eloquence carried all before it. But the Government of the Colony and the people of a large portion of it have resented the line he has adopted. They deny Lord Carnarvon's right to send out "an Imperial agitator," as they style Mr. Froude, to work between the people of the Colony and the Government of their own choice. They insist upon the Colonial Office communicating with them as the representatives of the Colony. A very bitter feeling has been created between the Government and Mr. Froude. The Colonial Office has supported the latter. The people of the Colony have supported the former. The result is a defeat of the Colonial Office in the Cape Parliament and the withdrawal of the proposals of federation for the present.

The ground taken up by the Cape Government is quite intelligible. Mr. Proude was sent out with instructions to communicate with the various Governments of adjoining Republics, and Earl Carnarvon requested the Governor of the Colony to name Mr, Fronde as the Imperial representative in any conference that might ensue. If the Cape Government did not agree, tho Colony of If atal was to be invited to take the lead and bring about the federation desired. Natal, being a Crown colony, the invitation would have the force of command, but the independent States cling to the old Colony from which they sprung, and decline to recognise Natal as a leader. They were asked to surrender the flags of their Eepublics, sink their Dutch feelings, and enter a federation under the British flag. The only ground on which they were likely to do so was sympathy with the Cape Colony, in which they had friends and relations, and from which they had emigrated to found the new States whose independence they had fought for till it was in sheer weariness recognised. There had been great speech-making, much controversy, and strong feeling. The Governor's speech at the opening of the Assembly in Capo Town was very brief. The position between the Colonial Office and his Responsible Advisers was very difficult. The gist was contained in a paragraph stating that "the public agitation throughout the colony on the subject of the conference was felt by His Excellency's Ministers to be injurious to them and to the interests of the country, especially as tho Government had just entered on tho construction of large public works, involving heavy obligations, which rendered the present an inopportune time for political changes." Immediately after the speech a lengthy memorandum was laid on the table by Ministers. It set forth the principal reasons that influenced them in opposing the conference which Lord Carnarvon desired. They did not consider a uniform native policy either practicable or convenient and they considered that hasty attempts to bring all under one hard and fast rule would retard instead of hastening progress. They were opposed to taking upon the colony the consequences of the Imperial action in Natal which a federation including Natal would imply. Other reasons were given to prove that a conference, forced on prematurely, could do no good. "When it took place it must arise from the free and spontaneous action of the various provinces and States concerned. " Finally, they bring to the notice of the Secretary of State the course which they allege has been ' adopted by an Imperial delegate or Commissioner (Mr. Froiide) in agitating and fermenting an agitation in the colony against its Ministers and Legislature upon an important question affecting its interests, a course, they submit, unknown in a colony possessing free representative institutions, and likely to form a most inconvenient precedent. They are and have been willing; to give every consideration ai?d publicity to any communication coming from his Lordship, or any properly accredited authority, but they are placed at a great disadvantage in having statements made under the sanction and with the weight of liis Lordship's name at public meetings and the like.' "

At the first sitting of the Assembly the Premier, Mr. Molteno, gave notice of the following resolution, "That, in the opinion of this . House, the agitation which has been created and encouraged in this Colony by the Imperial Government, in opposition to the Colonial Government, on the subject of a Conference oJ Representatives of the several Colonies and States • in South Africa, as proposed by Lord Carnarvon, is unconstitutional, and such as to render the working of self-government in this colony impracticable, and tliis House, having considered the despatch of the Bight Honorable the Secretary of State for the Colonies, dated the 15th of July last, is still of opinion that the interests of this Colony would not be promoted by pressing forward, at the present time, such a Conference as the Secretary of State proposes." After a protracted debate the motion was modified by the Premier, and stood as follows : —"That, in the opinion of this House, the agitation which has been created and encouraged in this colony in the name of the Imperial Government, in opposition to the Colonial Government, on the subject of a Conference of Eepre■entatires of the several Colonies and States in South Africa, as proposed by Lord Carnarvon, is unconstitutional, and such as to make the successful working of self-government in this colony impossible; and this House, having considered the despatch of the Eight Honorable' the Secretary of State for the Colonies,' dated the 15th of July last, is still of opinion that the interests of this Colony would ;not be promoted by pressing forward, at the present time, such a Conference as the Secretary of State proposes." An amendment was proposed froin the Opposition, that the House should concur in the proposals for the Conference, but only on the understanding that no State or Colony should be affected till the resolutions of the Conference had been adopted by its own Legislature. The amendment was rejected and the Conference is practically j

I postponed. The Lower House' (the Asj sembly) was firmly bent on defending the I. constitutional,' rights entrusted to it. They would not recognise the interference of the Colonial Office nor sanction the appointment of Mr. Froude. If action 'were , to be taken it should be only through the Cape Government. The Upper House (the Council) which is elective, but on a different basis, carried, by nine against ; six, a motion approving- of the- Conference, but it took no further action. Thus ha 3 ended the attempt to solve a problem giving great uneasiness at homel Natal has been madeaCrown Colony, and the responsibility of its management rests entirely with the Imperial Government. They would gladly transfer the responsibility to the Oape Colony and'the neighbouring States, but they refuse, to accept it. Lord Carnarvon took up the subject warmly, and, had he succeeded, would have added new laurels to his administration. He has failed, chiefly from neglecting Colonial feelings, but there can be little doubt the project for federation will not now be allowed to sleep among the Cape people. It is nothing new to them. It wasiyery powerfully supported by Sir George Grey when Governor of the Cape twenty years ago, and would then have succeeded had the Colonial Office not interfered, and recalled him for giving that support. Now they desire it, but the interference of the Office is equally fatal. The reeult is to be regretted, but, in the course they have taken the Cape people have fought not only their own battle but the battle of every Colony endowed with constitutional privileges and self-govern-ment.