The Thames Star. Resurrexi. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1902. GOVERNING THE TRANSVAAL.

Thames Star, Volume XXXX, Issue 10514, 9 December 1902, Page 2

The Thames Star. Resurrexi. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1902. GOVERNING THE TRANSVAAL.

Loid Milners lule ot tlie South Africaja colonies is frequently alluded to in our cable messages, and his doings and sajirgs ara accepted) with, appioval la our last issue the cable said Lord Milner s energy surprises the Trans-vaal buighers He rides otnu horseback forty anidi fifty mika a day in the blazing sun, changing hoi sea e\ery ten miles He works forl houiifa at the camps mi the evening, andi his anxiety for the buighers' welfare gieatly impresses them Another of recent date sad he 'was makmg himself acquainted with the whole ccuntiy hei was governing and peisonally inquning into the position of the people lie is proving himself well fitted for the great task oommitr (.ed to his oaie and justifying Mr Chamber-lam s choice of him as an adiministiaitoi, and confidence in his wisdom He will be able from his iecent experiences' ta supplement Mr Chambeilain'si personal obseivations and together they will lay down the policy of the future Frc'm every side evidence i« forthcoming that the Boers are taking kindly to the British administration they aie now gaining expenenie^pf other lulers than despotio Kiug'er, and aie thus able to compare their piesent state of freedom with their former position of isolation and blind obedience to- Oomi Paul A. spe-e al conespondemit in Foiuth Africa/ waiting to the Ota^o Daily Times, speaking of Lord) MiDner, says "He is lecognised' as an eminently wise ruler—one . who is bringing to his administration. keen sagacity. He is> breakingl down the barriers of prejudice many had against him by his easy accessibility, his desire to fully acquaint himself with the troublous questions tha.fc beset, the land, and do the best to< smooth, away difficulties. In, the state of transition from the ravages of war to that of peaceful settlement' there are necessarily many grievances to 1 be listened to. The feeling is, that grievances will

be redressed just as readily under our present Crown, administration as they otherwise would! be. As an example o>f the trust and 'confidence he has in the good sense of the pwp^e •he noiw proposes, -early as it is, to grant the municipal control cf Johannesburg to .the people. He .-reaenltly annoxuided tliiab an ordinance is being prepared for the munioipal control of Johannesburg to) pass into 1 the hand's of an elected council, the elective element being of gradual creation. In hisi last public utterance this is what Lord Milwr said: 'The present Town Council is admittedly a temporary institution, and the time is approaching

whenl we must transform, the present iMHrfinated body intcn one resting on a more permanent, basis. Two objects ought to* be. kept in view in this matter. The one is that a permanent sys.tem, just because it is tot be permamient, should be most carefully devised, a.nd tihei other is that there ' shculdl be a smooth' aid 1 gradual , tramsition, that there iu'cuuld 1 'be no | break in continuity and none of that administrative disturbance which is likely to result By the sudden substitution of onei^set of counoilTcirs for a.nr ather. As regards the future system, of election, what, we propose to do is tol follow the principle of municipal ■elections, Tyhidhi is praeticallj- the same throughout the British Empire, though it may vary in detail owing to local circumstances in the various colonies" and in the different portion® 01-the United Kingdom. Plenty of time will bei given for conKideraitionl by the public, and .ait the end! of tluib time we nope to bring that ordinance for public discussion before the future Legis'ative Council. Tf you ask ma how long'it will take Ido .not want to venture uponi too' definita a pre'Hio:.; tioTi. Stimulated', 'perhaps,, by the atmosphere' of this plnco, I ha.ye iri the past .thought that things cam. be done morei quickly than they really can. I am anxious to avwd ovwr-haste, for the very reason that just because it is intended to 1 be a, permanent institu-. tion it cannot 'be based upon too solid a foundaiticin. Our first list of municipal electors may be: .ready in "six monit'hsi, and we hope our first, election may be ;beJdi in the middle of next year.' 1 The very language Lord Milnor u«es displays wisdom, and tlia.t caution which distinguishes the statesman. It is little wonder that he should 1 be estee.med by all brought into r>er«onal relations with him.