GENERAL BOTHA

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9210, 2 December 1915, Page 7

GENERAL BOTHA

A STRIKING STeECH.

During the recent South African elections. General Louis Botha delivered some striking speeches; though possibly they lacked the virility and eloquence of the Utterances of General Smiits. At Mitenhage (writes “AngloSouth African’’ to the “Now Zealand Times’’) unparalleled scenes of enthusiasm marked his visit. The General was escorted into town by some three hundred horsemen. In the. course of his speech the Prime Minister said: —As far as one could see. Some people came into the world only to do mischief and to make it their Special study to , see what they cOuld do to bring the two races apart. To those people He -would say their time would be short. At the last fight in German West there were Briton and Boer Standing together fighting for the same ideal. Men of both races fell together on the battlefield, and one of the most impressive scenes he had ever witnessed was the burial of Boer and Briton in the Same grave after the fight, comrades— English and Dutch—standing round the grave praying to the same God and singing together to the same God. • At that ceremony he felt-that they could look upon that as our victory also in the Union. So it would be his duty and theirs to do their utmost to kill ail racial hatred in the country. To deny it would be contrary to, the deepest and highest interests of South Africa. ' ■ ’ At the close of his speech, the South African Prime Minister said:—l saw a South African Reuter’s message recently that General Hertzog stated that; in 1901 General Smuts and 1 wrote letters to President Steyn, m which we said we should make for peace, for, in the course of ten or fifteen years afterwards, wo would be able to regain our independence. At Humansdorp, where that statement was made, I replied to it, and there stated .that I challenged General Hertzog and gave him the right, SO far as, 1 was concerned, to publish any letter or letters which. I had written to him. (Applause.) As far as. my memory goes, I entirely deny that I ever wrote such a letter, and my answer is that even if I had written such a letter, I was at such a time justified in writing it. In those days 1 was a Republican, and I was entitled theh to take such steps as 1 thought I was entitled to take, and I say this, now that the British Government has made it possible for me to be loyal under the British flag. (Applause.) If I had been bom under the British flag and had grown up under the British flag, I would not put a pro-German question.