THE TRANSVAAL

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2572, 24 August 1899, Page 3

THE TRANSVAAL

United Press Association—Per Electric Telegraph—Copyright.

Received August 24th, 9.10 a.m. London, August 23.

Orders have been issued indicating a possible mobilisation of the First Infantry Brigade at Aldershot under the command of Major-General Arthur Filzroy Hart. A Birmingham firm has received an order for 14,000,000 cartridges. General Joubert recently declared that the Transvaal was unable to make cartridges suitable for,the Mauser rifles, The Standard declares that wide spread treason exists among the Boers of Cape Colony and Natal, and that money and arms are being distributed among them from Pretoria. JOUBERT’S FRANCHISE SCHEME. General Joubert, Vice-President of the Transvaal Republic, lately gave the Johannesberg Stir his opinion about the franchise question as follows : —My scheme for granting the franchise to strangers is this: When a man, whatever his nationality may bo, comes into the Republic he must go to the Field Cornet of the place where, he first settles and give up his name, together with all particulars as to his nationality, age, where he came from, what his occupation is, etc., and he must hand over a certificate that he is a respectable and honest person. If he has no such certificate with him, I am prepared to give him, say, three months’ time to get one from the proper quarters ; and if he has not yet made up his mind as to what occupation he would undertake in the Republic, I am prepared to give him two or three months’ time so that he can find outand decide for himself. Anyhow, as I said, he must go to the Field Cornet and supply him with the above particulars; and he must then inform the Field Cornet that he comes to settle and live in this Republic, that he is willing to submit himself to and obey the laws of it,, and that he is desirous of becoming a burgher of the country. He must then immediately—that is, upon his arrival in the country, and after having spoken thus, to the Field Cornettake an oath of allegiance to the following effect‘ I, the undersigned, hereby solemnly declare that I shall be faithful to the burghers and Government of the South African Republic ; that I shall do my utmost to assist them in maintaining the independence of the country; and that I shall submit myself to and obey the laws of the country. So truly help me, God. (Signed) .’ From that moment —i.e., when he takes the above oath—be must be prepared to do what he can for the country, and I must have the power of calling upon him to defend the country and fight with the burghers when necessary. After two, three, or four years he shall be entitled to get full franchise powers upon the following conditions :—He must go to the Field Cornet and take two respectable and respected burghers with him, and say to the Field Cornet: ‘ Field Cornet, 1 have now been so many years—two, three, or four years in the country; I fulfilled the requirements of the law when I came into the country ; I have since observed the laws and worked in the interests of the country ; I have brought with me here two respectable and respected burghers of the country, who approve of my person; now, therefore, I demand full franchise powers for myself.’ He must not then come crawling on his knees, begging with outstretched hands; ‘ Oh, please, give me the franchise’; no, he must demand it. and then he shall get the franchise, and shall be a burgher of the country, and enjoy all the privileges every other burgher enjoys, without being indebted to anybody for having got the franchise.” “Yes, General,” said the interviewer, “ happy is the day when your scheme becomes law, for I am sure not a single respectable TJitlander would object to any of the stipulations contained therein ; on the contrary, they would receive it with joy.” “ I should think so,” retorted the General; “ and lam sure that if this scheme is made law we shall have none of the difficulties at present experienced, and we can all live together happily and peacefully, and the country will prosper and flourish.”