SOUTH AFRICA.

New Zealand Mail, 27 August 1902, Page 31

SOUTH AFRICA.

LONDON, August 25. The principal Dutch newspapers have opened subscriptions in aid of the Boers. The lists are headed with large anonymous donations, which are attributed to Dr Leyds. A Reuter’s message says:—There are many complaints on the Rand that oversea colonists are leaving because there is no land settlement scheme enabling them to obtain farms. Mr Reitz, addressing the Netherlands Literary Congress at Courtrai, delivered an inflammatory harangue on the sufferings of the Boer women and children. He declared that he bore an unquenchable resentment against England.

Ex-Judge Koch has been admitted to practise as an advocate at Pretoria. The projected Political Association at Johannesburg has been dropped, Messrs Wools Sampson and Karrie Davies and the principal inhabitants having issued an address deprecating its formation.

The correspondent of the “Morning Post” at Johannesburg asserts that the cattle plague in Rhodesia originated from Australian imported cattle. The Chartered Company’s Government has requested the Australian Government to send experts and a staff to cope with the evil at the company’s expense.

Rinderpest is ravaging the Barberton district, in the Eastern Transvaal. CAPETOWN-, August 25. A case marked “saddlery,” consigned by a British firm to a Transvaal firm, burst on the wharf at Durban, reveal ing the fact that the case was full of swords.

The Parliamentary and Financial Indemnity Bill has been read a second time in the Cape Assembly.

The debate revealed the existence of sympathy between Sir Gordon Sprigg (Premier) and the Afrikander Bond, Mr Merrinian, an ox-Minister and the leader

of the Bond, indicating that lie watr anxious to work with the Premier. Sir Henry Juta, K.C., a Progressive member, moved in the Assembly that the nine seats now vacant ought to be filled, hue whole of the Progressives outside the Cabinet, except one member, supported the motion. The Ministry crossed the floor of the House, and assisted the Afrikander Bond members in defeating the motion by 41 to 23. The action of the Cabinet has caused a sensation.

The Progressives intend to introduce a Bill framed on the lines of laws operating in the Orange River Colony and the Transvaal for the suppression of sedition and seditious utterances.

Part of the policy of the party termed “ Progressive ” at the Cape *is epitomised in the following resolutions passed at a meeting of delegates from Vigilance Committees throughout South Africa, held at Capetown on the 18th July, Sir Henry Juta presiding:— “ That in view of the approaching meeting of the Cape Parliament in accordance with the decision of the Imperial Government, this Conference of the Vigilance Committee, which has always striven to assist with all its power the Imperial Government in its efforts to settle the Sautli African question, hereby places on record its sincere conviction that it is essential to the future security of the colony and the supremacy of Great Britain in South Africa that the following measures be passed at the ensuing session of the Cape Pailiament, namely:—(a) An Act of Indemnity to indemnify military and civil officers for acts performed under martial law and for unauthorised expenditure, (b) An Arms and Ammunition Act, to enable the civil authorities to regulate the importation of arms and ammunition, and to provide for the registration of rifles within the colony, (c) A Treasonable Practices Act, ito strengthen the hands of the Administration in dealing with seditioUfe societies and persons, and in punishing the publication and circulation of seditious prints and papers and the• dissemination of seditious doctrines in schools and elsewhere, (d) An Aided Emigration Act, to encourage the settlement of British subjects upon lands in this colony by a scheme of settlement similar to those in operation in the new colonies, and to provide means to enable British subjects who are presently in this colony on account of the war and other causes, and who are desirous of settling in South Africa, to obtain suitable employment, and, if possible, to provide for such scheme being carried out in conjunction with the Imperial Government, (e) A Registration Act, providing for the framing of a fresh voters’ roll by independent Government officials as registering officers, in place of field-cornets, (f) A Redistribution Act, providing for the representation of voters in Parliament on the basis of population.”