MAJUBA DAY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4635, 14 April 1902, Page 6

MAJUBA DAY.

AN ANNIVERSARY FOE IMPERIAL CELEBRATION. (From Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, March 7. , February 27th, Majufia Day, will henceforth be, not a day of humiliation, but a festal day for tho soldiers of every part of our Empire. Last year, the anniversary witnessed the surrender of Cronje and his 4000 men. an achievement largely due to the gallantry of the Canadians at Paardeberg. This year Lord Kitchener’s latest drive results in the killing or capture of nearly 900 Boers on the fateful day. This time the laurels undoubtedly go to tho New Zealanders, whose bravery has thrilled the Empire, the cheers raised in the House of Commons ringing round all the Bntams. To the New South Welshmen, too, under our ■ old ’friend Colonel Cox. still to the fore Lord Kitchener pays a tribute of praise, but the long casualty list of the gallant Seventh shows that the New Zealanders boro the brunt of the fighting. It was specially appropriate that the Seventh New Zealanders should be the colonials to carry off the honours of the Langverwacht fight, in view of the prompt loyalty of that colony and her Premier in spontaneously offering fresh contingents as tho most effective reply to the German outburst of frenzied hatred and calumny. This, too is the New Zealanders answer to those’ contemptible pro-Boers—worse than our German enemies—who would have us believe that pelf, not patriotism, is the motive of our loyal volunteers from Australia and New Zealand, and that the latest New Zealand contingents are composed of unemployed loafers. Glory and grief are twin sisters, and the Empire’s cheers for the victory are mingled with sympathy for the mothers and sisters in the Britain of the South who. on Majuba Day, will strive to bury the sad memories awakened anew by_ tho onniversary of Langverwacht in their pride at their dead soldiers share in the victory that has need of correcting the Boers’ impression of what Majuba meant in the relations of the two races. This in itself comparatively unimportant battle has by oursuh sequent craven policy of betrayal of thos® under our protection been magnified by the Boers into the crowning victory by which the predominance of the Boers over the British was established once and tor all. The Boers are much given to keeping anniversaries and each year as Majuba Day came round it served’ to strengthen their contempt for the vacillating Briton and their resolve eventually to drive him into the sea. To ensure permanent peace for South Africa it is necessary that the day should be regarded by the Boers as one of disaster rather than victory, and that it should be as.plain as a pikestaff to them that all hope of or repetition cf the knock-kneed exhibition that followed Majuba is absolutely vain. When the first bitterness of the struggle has passed by there ia no reason why the anniversaries of the battles of this war should provoke bad blood between Boer and Briton. Canadians, English and French alike, honour both olfe and Montca'm; and the contest on the heights of Abraham can be remembered 110111 pride by both races. New Zealanders are as proud of Maori exploits in the JNew Zealand wars as the Maoris themselves, and the gallantry of the Maori garrison besieged at Orakau awakes as responsive a thrill in tne heart of the Britisher as in that of his hrown-skinned brother, do in federated South Africa the records of British and Boer bravery alike will be an honourable inheritance for the Afrikander, whether he be of Boer or British descent. Certainly those who have fought on cither side will notperraitjhe disparagement of their former foes and will fight their battles over again as the anniversaries come round with that tribute to the bravery of their antagonists which marks the chivalrous soldier. Majuba Hay a decade hence will, 1 prophesy, he celebrated by both Briton and Boer in harmony. With the restoration of peace and the burying of the hatebet. Majuba Day in future might profitably.be selected as the Allerseelen Tag of South Africa, li e day on which to lay wreaths on the giaves cf both British and Boer soldiers who have fallen in the wars in that unhappy country. . __