THE AFRIKANDER BOND AND THE COLONIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11314, 8 March 1900, Page 4

THE AFRIKANDER BOND AND THE COLONIES.

The Afrikander Bond, which is largely composed of secret, or openly, avowed' traitors to the Queen, is credited with the audacious intention of sending delegates to these colonies to preach the gospel of independence for the Dutch Republics. The Bond is evidently as ignorant of public opinion in the Australasian colonies as the Boers were of the military strength of the British Empire, when they presented their fateful ultimatum, and wantonly invaded British territory.We venture to say that much as liberty of speech is prized by all Britishers, and that love of fair play which is a distinguishing characteristic of our race, any Afrikander venturing, in the present state of feeling,', to come here to plead that the Boers should be permitted to retain their' independence, after plotting to drive the British in South Africa into the sea, after treating Australasian colonists and British subjects in the Transvaal as helots, after having shot down our troops by the treacherous use of the white flag, after firing upon oui? ambulance parties while ministering to the wounded and dying, and directing their death-dealing guns upon the quarters specially allotted to women and children, and after, in short, violating almost every recognised 'aw of civilised warfare, would meet with a reception that he had not bargained for when he undertook his presumptuous mission. But there is little likelihood of any Bond delegate leaving South Africa, for one of the first acts of the Imperial Government, when once they have broken the resistance of the Boers, will probablybe to proclaim the Bond, and clap its members in gaol. In all likelihood that would have been done before but for the fear of provoking a general rising of the Dutch disloyalists in tape Colony before they were prepared to deal with it. But be that as it may, any Afrikander visiting tfce colonies to preach Boer independence would excite universal indignation. Colonial public opinion is solid about the final settlement of the war. The existence of the Dutch Republics must be put an end to, and henceforth, but one flag, the British, must wave m South Africa.