A CAPE REPRESENTATIVE

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1507, 17 January 1901, Page 50

A CAPE REPRESENTATIVE

INTERVIEW WITH MR JOHN FROST.

Mr Jaim Frost, the member of the present Ministry in Cape Colony, who is representing South Africa at the Commonwealth celebrations, is a tab, wiry man, whose snowy white beard contrasts strongly with his firm, decisive manner, and the almost youthful light in his eye that shines out as he waxes enthusiastic over the future of his country. Mr Frost* has spent half a century in South Africa; has seen it grow from almost medieval conditions to the important position it occupies to-day ; and lie has taken his part in beating back the black tide of savagedom that has more than once threatened to overwhelm it- T'h© white man’s burden has not-dbeen a light one for Mr Frost, and to the present day he walks with a slight limp as the result of his pioneer’s wcrk.

“The situation in South Africa is a subject I can give little information about/’ said Mr Frost to an “Argus” representative. “It is three weeks since I left Capetown, and events move very quickly nowadays. I see by the cables that the Boers have been raiding Cape Colony, and as far as I can see that is the very worst thing for themselves that they could have done. How they are going to get back again I don’t know, and I don’t think they know, either.” “Is it possible they entered Cape Colony for the purpose of arousing the, Dutch residents to activityP” “Well, I have no' idea what their intentions were, but the mere intelligent of the Dutch families only want to be left alone. This applies not only to Cape Colony, , but to the whole of South Africa. The Boer personally is not at all a bad, fellow. • Some. of. .'the old ones are, of course, irrecohcilables, who would Be ' satisfied with ; nothing ; but the young men and women have been better 'educated, and . are intelligent people/" It is only /through, a few agitators; that they have taken up the present position.. ; My Opinion ,is that after the. war. the Dutch-and English populations will live amicably side by side, and assist mutually in the>deve!opme!nt of the country. I am, of course, assuming that the agitators are not given an opportunity of recommencing their work. The feeling is very bitter just now. I know one lady brought up among English people, and practically an Englishwoman, who married a colonial of English parents. This gentleman took a position in the Transvaal, and when the war broke out joined Kruger’s forces. He was afferwai'ds taken prisoner, and now hjs wife, a bright, intelligent, well educated wopUjua, says she will teach her children to curs® the name of England. That is the feeling with many to-day; but I think it will diei out in a little while.” “With the Dutch electors predominat- , ing in the Cape Colony, how is it that ;..yi>uf Ministry, which sympathizes with . England, is in power?”’ “There are peculiar circumstances connected with that,” saidi Mr Frost. “And it would take very long to explain them. There is a large Dutch majority in Cape Colony, but I don’t really think it is so large as they! would make us believe. Mr Schreiner found a majorityof his constituents against him when he submitted, to a plebiscite, and I think that is an end of him as far as South African politics are concerned at any rate for some time. The English sympathizers a,re mostly confined to the coastal towns and the eastern side, while the Dutch strongholds are the country eleci/OTH’iy c ‘Are there not many Englishmen m the country?” “Yes; hut the Englishman who marries a Dutchwoman is almost invariably a Boor sympathiser. In the Orange Free State th© English residents were enfranchised, yet at the last election Mr Steyn was elected by an enormous majority over Mr Fraser —a man who was extremely popular with the Boers, as well as his own people.” “What are the chances of a federation of the British colonies in South Africa when the war is over?” “None at all for a long time. Of course, the English vote will predominate in the Transvaal; but it would be impossible, to think of federation for seme years. Perhaps, if this scheme of' immigration is successful, the idea may obtain some assistance.” “Some of our returned Australian soldiers say they would not give twopence an acre for the best land they saw.in South Africa.”

“They were unfortunate, perhaps, in .the spots they visited. Some of the farmers and stock farmers have become very wealthy, and I really cannot understand why these men do not stop the war now. The labouring work is, of course, done by the Kaffirs, and, though you Australians say ten black men are not as good as one white man, we have found very good workers among them.” : The Boers say that the English success is making the Kaffir think too much of himself.”

“ Well, ail I can say is, if the Kaffir gets ‘uppish’ he will have to be put down. X am not one of those who think the .day for native outbreaks is past. X should not be at all surprised at another black war. The Kaffirs are increasing in numbers every day; for, although the men give way to drink, the women are

kept sober, and so multiply. But there is no immediate fear of the different black races uniting, and if a rising should take place we will hav© to beat them again, as we beat them in the past, with smaller forces.”