GOVERNORS IN AFRICA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20386, 15 October 1929, Page 14

GOVERNORS IN AFRICA.

DESIRE OF NATIONALISTS. "NO NEED TO GO ABROAD." [FROM OUR Off.V CORRESPONDENT.] CAPETOWN. Sept. 6. That tho next Governor-Gener.il of South Africa should bo a South African citizon is a desire of tho Capo Nationalists. At tho Party Congress at Ceres a resolution on those lines was carried unanimously and with applause, and apart from the speech of the mover thero was no discussion. i Mr. Mader van Niekerk, Mayor of Prieska, introduced tho motion. As South Africa was an independent nation, ho said it was high timo that the Union should bo independent of any other country, and that it should be unnecessary for them to look to other countries for tho filling of political appointments in the Union. South Africans should bo encouraged to aspire to Iho highest position in the land, ho declared.

Discussing tho matter later, Mr. van Niekerk said ho was convinced that tho appointment of a South African as Governor-General would go a long way toward removing whatever friction and distrust still marked tho relations between tho two white races in the country. Ho was not in a position to say, said Mr. van Niekerk. whether thero was any distrust in tho minds of tho English-speak-ing South Africans, but ho felt that such distrust as had existed in tho past had been caused mainly by fear that the British connection would bo used as a means for furthering British domination in Smith Africa.

"I think racial amity in 'this country will bo best served when citizens of both white races feel they have tho right to aspire to tho highest post in tho land," said Mr. van Niekerk. "In other words, tho Dutch and the English must be equal in absolutely overy respect. Both must bo able to appreciate that the choico for tho highest post in tho country must bo mado within the boundaries of this country. . "A republic gives its citizens equal privileges and opportunities. lam a Republican at heart, and I opposed tho amendment to Article Four because I felt that under that Article we would be able to agitate for a republic. Last year's Congress, however, decided to stand by the status of South Africa as wo know it to-day, and ns a faithful member of tho Nationalist Party I abide by that decision.

"1 feel T can readily abido by that decision if thcro is not tho slightest suspicion of differentiation between the two races. If this point of difference of ono race looking across the seas for a figure to fill the highest post in this coiintry is removed, then I feel wo will arrivo at the ideal of tho complete amity." _Mr. van Niekerk said he had worded his motion to exclude the present Gov-ernor-General, and ho did so gladly, as he had not the slightest intention or desire j to create sectional feeling in the matter.