SOUTH AFRICA

Otago Witness, Issue 2558, 25 March 1903, Page 15

SOUTH AFRICA

THE AMNESTY PRO CL AMATION. LONDON, March 16. A Pretoria telegram to the Morning Post states, in reference to the Legislative Council for the Transvaal, that Botha, De la Key, and Sinutz ascertained in an underhand manner the Boers' views regarding their proposed appointment to seats. They then declined to accept seats, and announced their supposed grievances in a manner nullifying their previous utterances favourable to the Administration of the colony. CAPETOWN, March 17. Twenty-seven foreigners in Pretoria, who were not provided with permits, have been expelled from the Transvaal. March 18. 'I'he Customs Conference at Bloemfontein, attended by Lord Milner and representatives of the various £>outh African colonies, proved a failure, the views of the Transvaal and Rhodesia differing from those of Cape, Natal, and Orangia. The amnesty proclamation has occasioned delight and gratitude throughout the Dutch districts of Natal. March 19. Natal has protested egainst the Johannesburg Railway Conference preferring Delagoa Bay as the Transvaal's port in preference to Durban. The matter was compromised by the Transvaal agreeing to contribute to the Durban harbour works, she having a representative on the board. Dr L. S. Jameson, prasident of the South African League, speaking at Capetown, said that the Afrikander Bond's ideal was that the British should be allowed a show of supremacy, with the guardianship" of the coa=ts. The Bond were striving for the internal control of South Africa, and the Progressives were determined to dt-feat this. After the rebels had bee'i refranchised the Progressives would be in a minority unless there was a supernatural conversion of voters. March 20. The Intercolonial Conference at Bloemfontein adopted a resolution declaring that the natives available south of the Zambesi are insufficient to meet labour dc-mands, and recommending the opening of all British South, Central, and East Africa for recruiting, and also, if necessary, for the immigration of Asiatics, under Government control, strictly indented, and with provision for them to he repatriated at the end of their term of employment. The conference practically decided in favour of a preferential customs reduction of 25 per cent, on goods imported from Great Britain and from such colonies as are entitled to reciprocity. The Eopi- leaders indignantly repel recent insinuations of double dealing. De la Rey declares his assurances were honestly given and will be honestly kept. The Cape Government has arranged for a free passage-to 100 Italian families and to guarantee them a certain wage. It hopes other Italian immigrants will follow f-poutaneously. The Bloemfontein Conference advocated the total prohibition of the sale of liquor to the natives, and re<-< lvod that the State reservations of land for the natives involved obligations on the part of the natives themselves. March 23. A "While League has been formed in Johannesburg to contend against the importation of all labour except white. Mr Merriman, in a speech at Barkly East,

said he hoped soon to hare self-govern merit for the whole of South Africa xmder the British flag. Any future cleavage would not be racial, but more probably town versus country. He trustee that the remainder of his life would b< devoted to the furtherance of true peact and prosperity.