LABOUR MINISTERS URGE NATIONAL FLAG FOR SOUTH AFRICA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17879, 22 June 1926, Page 8

LABOUR MINISTERS URGE NATIONAL FLAG FOR SOUTH AFRICA.

SHOULD NOT REFER TO THE BITTER PAST. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.-Copyright. Reuter’s Telegrams. CAPE TOWN, June 20. Since Colonel Creswell issued his manifesto explaining his support of the Government’s proposal to introduce a national flag excluding the Union Jack, the whole country lias been eagerly anticipating whether the Labour Party will stipport its leader or not. It was generally recognised that the attitude of the National Council of the Labour Party would spell continuance or otherwise of the pact between the Nationalist and Labour Parties. Consequently, there was the greatest interest in a se cret meeting of the council, which Labour Ministers attended. After a lengthy discussion, the council carried a resolution expressing the belief “that South Africa could best work out its destiny as a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations; that the status of South Africa requires that the Union should possess its own flag and that the council feels that such a flag should be of a design which will not remind the peoples of South Africa of past differences between the two white races in this country. They, therefore, recommend the Government that a national flag be chosen which does not include any reference to past history of Dutch and English South Africans.” While approving the principle that the Imperial symbol of the Union Jick and a national symbol representing the national status of South Africa should be entirely distinct and must receive equal official recognition, the National Council expresses the opinion that all steps should be taken to secure by agreement a national flag which will satisfy the great mass of South Africans. The resolution thus endorses Colonel Creswell’s attitude.