SOUTH AFRICA.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1315, 13 May 1897, Page 36

SOUTH AFRICA.

London, May 4. Official papers published show that Mr W. P. Schreiner, late Attorney-General at the Cape, regarded the closing of the Vaal drifts as a breach of the Convention of 1884. It was also shown that Schreiner concurred in the suggestion of Mr Chamberlain, Secretary cf State for the Colonies, that the Cape should pay half the cost of the military operations. London, May 6. The Royal Dublin Fusiliers, at| present quartered at Simla, have received orders to proceed to Capetown. Pretoria, May 4. At the opening of the Volksraad, President Kruger said his term of office would expire in 1898, when it would be necessary to elect another President. While guarding the independence of the T.ansvaal, he had sought to break the clouds menacing the peaceable co-operation of South Africa. London, May G. In connection with the Sclent Committee enquiry in the iai .Cio Eastern Telegraph Company has d louni d to the request to produce copies of the telegrams despatched by Mr Cecil Rhodes to Mr F. Rutherford Harris, of the South Africa Company, agent at the Cape, who was in London at the time. Large quantities of shell and 3,000,000 cartridges have been shipped to Capetown- „ Pretoria, May 7. The Volksraad has repealed the Alien Immigration Law, on the ground of objections raised by adjacent States. The War Party in the Transvaal is disgusted with the concession made by the Volksraad to foreigners by the repeal of the Aliens Immigration Expulsion Bill. London, May 7. Mr Chamberlain, referring to the repeal,

states it has greatly relieved the tension between England and the Transvaal. The Select Committee of Enquiry into the Transvaal raid having- insisted on the production of telegrams which passed between Mr Cecil Rhodes and Mr Harris, of the South Africa Company, the Eastern Telegraph Company has complied with the request. London, May 8. The Times says the opinion is gaining ground on the Rand that the Transvaal will never actively insist on anything Britain declares to be contrary co the Transvaal Convention of ISB4. Pretoria, May 9. The Transvaal Government has engaged a German officer as Military Instructor. Capetown, May 9. The South African Political Society strongly urges the Cape Government to support the demands made by Great Britain in regard to the integrity of the Convention with the Transvaal.