SOUTH AFRICA.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 230, 5 February 1876, Page 22

SOUTH AFRICA.

(From the New Zealand Times.) South-African colonists have on more than one occasion opposed the Imperial policy in their country with success. At the present time they are not in accord with Lord Carnarvon who, having succeeded in creating the Dominion of Canada during his former administration, appears bent upon confederating the South-African colonies and States. For this purpose Mr. Froude was despatched on a mission to South Africa, and he succeeded in agitating the public mind in the most thorough manner. But the Cape Colony did not seem to take kindly to the proposal. If Cape Town could be made the seat of Federal government no doubt the project of federation might be viewed in a different light,, but of this there is hardly any probability. Sir Henry Barkly, an experienced constitutional governor, was also opposed to Earl Carnarvon's scheme ; and by the advice of his ministers he convened a special session of Parliament to consider the question. From Cape Town papers we have the political situation so far clearly, that we are able to present our readers | with a summary of events up to the i receipt of a despatch in which the Secretary for State withdraws temporarily from his political propagandism in South. Africa. On November 10th, Sir Henry Barkly opened the Parliament in a speech in which he said : My responsible advisers have felt that the excitement created throughout the country during the last few months by the agitation of questions of the gravest consequence incidentally raised by the projiosals for a conference was of a nature seriously to eraba rass the Government at a time when the colony is involved in undertakings which must tax its resources very heavily, and on the successful accomplishment of which its future prospects and prosperity materially depend. Under the peculiar circumstances of the case I am confident that you will concur in considering that it was the wisest and most constitutional course to call together the representatives of the people with as little delay as possible. Cape Colony has embarked on a policy of public works, with the view of developing the resources of the country, and it does appear to be a reasonable thing to object to a political agitation and changes which might seriously impede the completion of those works through the jealousy and opposition of other federated communities. That Ministers felt this most deeply will be evident from the following notice of motion by the Colonial Secretary : 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 the conference of 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 this House, having considered the despatch of the Eight Honorable the Secretary of State for the Colonies, dated 15th 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. This protest is couched in no ambiguous terms, and is fully justified from, the Constitutional Ministers of a selfgoverning colony. If the Imperial policy in South Africa had even remotely led up to federation, there might have been some little excuse for the unconstitutional course adopted by the Secretary for State, but the contrary is the fact. The English Government for many years refused to follow its manifest destiny in South Africa, and established a frontier line beyond which, with the assent of Downing-street, the Dutch boers established independent States. It was only when the diamond fields were opened, and a large floating population was attracted to the Natal frontier, that the idea of extending the dominions of the British Crown, by the voluntary federation of the South African colonies and States, suggested itself. Native affairs were also a disturbing element in Natal, and threatened another Kaffir war. In reality the Cape Colony was not directly interested in those events, but the English Government was. The Colonial Secretary knew how unpopular another Kaffir war would be ; he knew also that if war broke out in Natal, the Imperial Government must do the fighting, and the thought appears to have occurred to him that he could avoid such a contingency in future by creating a South African dominion, and. calling upon it to defend itself from domestic foes, as was done in the case of New Zealand. Moreover, he would at one and the same time add to the popularity of the Conservative Government at Home, and to the lustre of his own administration, if he extended the colonial empire of England. The idea was acted upon with promptitude, and although its realization may be postponed, it will undoubtedly be carried into effect. England will thus enlarge her dominions, and avoid the necessity of defending them. It will be a cheap kind of glory doubtless, but this will be its cliief recommendation in the eyes of the greatest commercial nation of modern times. Mr. Molteno's resolution above quoted was under discussion at the latest date, an amendment having been moved to the effect that Earl Carnarvon's invitation be accepted. During the debate a despatch was received by Sir Henry Barkly, which placed the matter in a new light. The Secretary for State did not wish to

proceed further with the proposal for a conference, but he went the length of advising the Governor to dissolve Parliament, if it was not in accord with the people on this question. Whatever may be the exigencies of Imperial policy in South Africa, it is quite clear that constitutional government there is a farce if the Secretary for State is at liberty to ignore the Legislature and talk over its head to the people. This despatch is so remarkable, and has such a practical bearing upon Australasian politics, that we make no apology for reprinting it in this place. It is as follows : Downing-street, October 22, IS7o. Governor Sir Henry Barkly, G.C.M.G., K.C.B. Sir,—l have received with much satisfaction, and indeed I may say with great personal gratification the accounts which, principally through the reports of the colonial Press, have reached me, evincing the deep interest which is felt throughout the colony on my proposal for a conference between the Governments of South Africa, more especially as affecting the great question of confederation. The remarkable expression of feeling which has been elicited may be considered to have by this time sufficiently attained its object, and it may now be convenient to bring to its legitimate conclusion an agitation which cannot with advantage be indefinitely prolonged. 2. I approve, therefore, of the course taken by you under the advice of your Ministers in summoning Parliament to hold without delay a special session for the purpose of considering the subject which principally occupies the attention of the country, and which cannot elsewhere be so adequately and authoritatively discussed. 3. On the probable decision of the Parliament, as affecting local parties, I do not desire to speculate ; and it is, I am confident, unnecessary for me to say that I have no personal feeling in such a matter. AVhatever may be in this respect the result, I cannot suppose that Parliament will fail to be in accord with the opinion of the country. If, however, from any cause, there should appear to be a divergence between the decision of Parliament and the wishes of the community on a question of so great public importance, you will not need to be reminded by me that the true constitutional course will be (whenever it can be properly taken) to dissolve the Parliament, and remit the question to the final and supreme appeal of the constituencies of the colony. . 4. But whatever may follow upon the debates in Parliament, there is another proceeding which has suggested itself to me. It appears to me not improbable that the great amount of discussion which has been given throughout the colony to the question of confederation may be held to have fulfilled most of the purposes of that preliminary conference which I had orginally suggested, and it may be thought, as I myself am becoming disposed to think, that the time has arrived when her Majesty's Government should anore specifically explain the general principles upon which they are of opinion that the native policy of the future should be based, and the terms and conditions upon which they conceive that a confederation might be effectively organised. 5. If it should be considered that the time for such explanations has come, it will deserve much consideration whether a full and satisfactory understanding may not best be attained by a meeting in this country of those persons who are especially able to lay before her Majesty's G overnment the views and requirements of the different communities of South Africa. 6. I shall, probably, address you further on this point at an early date; but I may add now that, whether or no, such a meeting as I have just indicated should take place. It is not impossible that I may find it desirable to request either you or Mr. Provide, or possibly both, to proceed to this country and confer with me on many points as to which it is impossible to arrive at a complete understanding by correspondence. 7. I request you to lay this despatch before Parliament, or otherwise to give it full publicity as soon as possible.—l have, &c, (Signed) Carnarvon. It need not be wondered that the Parliament assembled at Cape Town adjourned at once to take time for considering this despatch. Whatever the ultimate decision may be upon the Colonial Secretary's motion condemning Lord Carnarvon's interference with the domestic affairs of the colony, it is quite clear that the Secretary for State does not mean to be hampered by strict constitutional rule. The time may come when a similar experiment will be tried in Australia. We are federating in our own way in New Zealand by wiping out the provinces, but this is a totally different thing from what the Imperial Government are attempting to do in South Africa.