SOUTH AFRICAN FLAG

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16373, 22 June 1927, Page 7

SOUTH AFRICAN FLAG

BATTLE STILL RAGING DETERMINED PREMIER {Australian rnd N.Z. Cable Association.! CAPETOWN, .Tune 20. The Parliamentary battle over The flag problem has been renewed. General Smuts proposed that an impartial tribunal be set up to consider the matter, declaring that the temper of the country would become worse if the Bill were rushed through at the end of the session.

The Prime Minister said that the. delay would make matters worse. For years the Dutch had no flag. If that wrong were not: righted the country would be brought: to a position for which he could not take responsibility. He would never allow the Union Jack to have a dominant position in the national flag. If the Sons of England wore still opposed to a national flag they would have to knuckle under and let'the Bill pass. General Smuts deplored the Prime Minister's speech, remarking that it was no use talking' of sovereign independence when embarking on a policy which would shatter existing unity. The Prime Minister described General Smuts' proposal to have the Union .Jack and the old Republican flags as an integral part, of a national flag as an insult to the historical feelings of Dutch South Africans. He was determined to proceed with the Bill at all costs. The Government claimed that the new design with the Union Jack embodied in the shield with the Republican flags in the centre of lho old Holland flag satisfied the moderate English opinion. The opposition held it would require a telescope to see the Union Jack.