SOUTH AFRICAN LETTER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19946, 13 November 1926, Page 25

SOUTH AFRICAN LETTER

(Fbom Ode Own Cobbespondent.) PIETERMARITZBURG. September 30. SILENTLY STEALING AWAY. Leaving the cares mat infest the day in South Africa, a goodly numucr of our legislators have been engaged in folding up their tents, and, like the Arab, silently stealing away to other and more peaceful clime. The first to leave were the parliamentary deputation for India, who are m for really a joy trip. The party is composed, with the exception of its leader. Mr Boyers, the Aiimster of Mines, of members of the Select Committee of the Assembly that sat on the Asiatic Bill last session. Br Malan, the Minister o: the Interior, was to have -one, he being the promoter of thq Bill, but ho had too much business to do —and he had married a wife —and accordingly Mr Beyers took his place. Mr Beyers, it may bo remarked in parenthesis, was the author of the Colour Bar Act passed last session after a dour struggle. The deputation are being most lavishly entertained. The second party of legislators to leave ua was that for Australia, where they should have a tour replete with both pleasure and prolit. One of the leading members of the party is the Hon. Sir Thomas Smartt, who was Minister of Agriculture in General Smuts’s last Ministry. , The third and most important delegation to leave the Union comprised the Prime Minister, General Hertzog, the Minister of Finance, Mr Havenga. They go, of course, to atten'd the Imperial Conference in London. They are accompanied by Sir William Hoy, the general manager of railways. The premier will take advantage of his presence in Europe to unveil the South African war memorial in Delville Wood. The acting Prime Minister during the ndbsence of General Hertzog on Imperial duty will bo, oddly enough, the Pact Government’s outstanding intransigent. Mr Tiolman Boos, who holds the portfolio of Justice. THE FLAG CONTROVERSY. The Fag controversy is still the subject of lively discussion, and, like the miners' struggle at Horne, we seem to be no nearer the end. A Union Jack Conference, comprising five delegates from each of the four* provinces, met at Bloemfontein yesterday with the object of giving to the opposition to the Government Flag Bill a national character. They passed a resolution putting their, position very clearly. They oppose the Bill; they also oppose both the compromises suggested by the Premier, one to substitute a Crown for the Union Jack on the flag, and the other to suspend the operation of the Government Bill until amoved of by an electoral referendum. What they do propose is a South African flag containing the Union Jack and the flags of the two late republics. HERTZOG’S NATIVE POLICY. The Native nolicy of the Pact Government as embodied in General Hertzog’s four Bills is likely to have precarious passage. On no other subject is there a greater need for a suspension of the party spirit, but it is very plain that these Bills will provoke much formidable criticism, and from many a point d’appui. General Smuts has at length, delivered himself on the subject, and it is really, discouraging to learn from the distinguished Opposition loader that he regards many features of the Government Bills as constituting a grave danger to the future security of both the white and black peoples of this country. He points out the dangers made possible in an evenly-divided House of Assembly which the contemplated seven members representing the native population would produce. The Native Lands Bill —the biggest Bill of the four—is likely to be met with the greatest amount of hostility. General Smuts proposes that the whole question be referred to a small National Convention, or, otherwise, that the Government appoint a commission to report on the scheme. Apart from the native problem. General Smuts predicts an acrimonious parliamentary session. He says they will be “fighting like Kilkenny cats.” A pernicious prospect truly, having in view the real good of the land. However. I suppose we will get through it without much loss —at least, I hope so. Man wants but little here below, but he usually gets along on less. EMPIRE TRADE.

America is gaining ground with regard to trade in the Htish Empire, and the United Kingdom L losing ground. I trust that whatever else is done at the Imperial Conference this grave fact will have its best consideration with a view to the undertaking of an Imperial economic policy. I hope it is not too much to expect that our two representatives from the Union will help and not hinder in anv way this undertaking. The following table gives an instructive comparison between the percentages of, imports received by each of the dominions from Great Britain before and since the war, also a similar comparison with , the United States, our principal competitor. It will he seen that the United States gains ground. United Kingdom. United States. 1913-14 1923-24 1913-14 1923-24 Canada 20.7 17.2 Cii.O 67.3 Australia 52.4 45.2 13.9 24.6 N.Z. .. 51.5 47.8 11.6 16.0 1922-23 1922-23 S.A. .. 54.4 52.1 9.5 12.9 India .. 64.2 60.2 • 2.6 5.6 As a writer in the Round Table points out very truly: “Unless the British peoples are to fall behind in the race the time is coming, if it is not already here, when they will have to review their economic position as a whole, and seek, a co-opera-tive policy for promoting their combined power and the deevlopment of their common heritage.” I trust the Imperial Conference will tackle the task. DELVILLE WOOD MEMORIAL. The unveiling of the Delvillo Wood memorial in memory of the South African soldiers who lost their lives in France during the Great War will awaken many poignant memories. The unveiling ceremony will take place on Sunday week, and will be entrusted to the Prime Minister of the Union, General Hertzog. Among those present will be Mrs Louis Botha, Earl Haig, and Marshal Foch. . The procession of clergy will include the Lord Bishop of St. Albans (Dr Furse), formerly Bishop of Pretoria, and the Moderator of the Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa. For the 25-mile journey from Amiens to Delville Wood, a special fleet of motor cars has been organised by Cook’s. The well-known Transvaaler, Sir Percy Fitzpatrick, will also address the assembly, which will number a thousand South Africans.

Some people think that the memorial would have been more appropriately placed on the Menin road, where the South African Brigade richieved its finest victory against the Hun. But, of course, at Delville Wood our losses were so heavy as to overshadow every other engagement in which the Springboks took part. As a matter of fact the French are averse to having any more British memorials erected in France, and the British military authorities hav-o received a gentle hint on the subject. The truth of the matter is that the British, Canadian, and other dominion memorials have quite put the French ones in the shade. Our Allies say they are now too poor to erect magnificent monuments on the battlefields, and when their children grow up they may begin to wonder what part France took in winninthe war when their memorials compare so unfavourably with those commemorative of the British 1 RAND BIRTHDAY PAGEANT. The Rand celebrated its fortieth birthday last week, and Johannesburg celebrated the anniversary with a joyous festivitv and revelry previously unparalleled in South Africa. The outstanding event was on the Wednesday afternoon with a striking pageant, procession and battle of flowers. The pageant, in a wonderful way, depicted the rapid development of the golden citv. The procession was headed by a group of early pioneers, led bv the oldest resident. The pageant was witnessed by over 100,000 spectators. There were many thousand guests at the garden party, including the Governor-General and Princess Alice.