SOUTH AFRICA.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1262, 7 May 1896, Page 29

SOUTH AFRICA.

Dr L-yd.-, the Transvaal Side .Secretary, has complained that Sir lloroulc, liobinsou's reports that (DO) troops are being massed at Mifeking has eau-cd a fording of disquiet, especially as tho oili ;ers alleged they wens destined tor tic Transvaa'h ami hinted that, affidavits had 1., en made by Doer waggoners ass-iting thai they were hired to assi:-t in an invasion.

Sir .1. lie Wet, Uritish Agmf a' Pretoria, ha-; rynfirinnd She e .mplainl madi; by l>r Loyds, and suggools a joint commission of enquiry. Sir Hercules Robinson has given a peremptory denial to the statement, and scouts the idea of a commission as preposterous. He says that only HOC troops are proceeding to Mafeking, and that tins half of them have not yet arrived. Frequent assurances that there is no hostile intention towards the Transvaal are, he adds, needless Sir H. Robinson has also cabled to Mr Chamberlain, stating that he never had

the slightest suspicion or hint of Dr Jameson's raid. Tho Times denounces tho conditions of Sir J. Do Wet's suggested commission of enquiry as egregiou ; folly. Pki.tokia, May 1. The Executive i; still discussing (ho question of reducing the term of imprisonment imposed on the members of the Reform Committee. Tho strongest influences in Africa are pressing for leniency, and the present outlook is more hopeful. CaI'UTOWX, May I, Sir Hercules Robinson is not likely to leave for London until the autumn, as the feeling at tho Capo is opposed to his going. Mr Barney Barinito's mines at Johannesburg are closing down, 'i'hey employed 15,000 blacks and 1-000 whiles. London, May J, A Radical movement is em foot to bring 1 about the cancellation of tho charter of the South Africa Chartered Company, and teniovo tho name of Cecil Rhodes from I helist of Privy Councillors. Sir A. Fraser, Agent-General for Western Australia, lias asked Mr Lma.mbei lain, Secretary of Slate for the Colonies, to intercede on behalf of Mr Walter Da-vies, an Australian, one, of the Reformers sentenced at Pretoria.