OMINOUS FOR SOUTH AFRICANS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 184, 6 October 1876, Page 9

OMINOUS FOR SOUTH AFRICANS.

♦+ "We have always deprecated unnecessary alarm in reference to the probabilities of disturbances or uprisings amongst the natives, but wo hare never been blind to the possibility of such occurrences, nor havo •we been silent in urging upon the people a n d Government the necessity of making provision for such eventualities, by organising a proper system of defence. We have for some time back observed signs that make precaution doubly necessary ; but we were not prepared for so serious a state of things as is disclosed in the communication below from a correspondent at Dordrecht. That the native mind is disturbed, from the borders of the Transvaal downward, there can be noquestion. Mr. Merriman, the other day, when objecting to an increase of the Police Force, flippantly remarked that it would be cheaper to have a Kafir wnr every ten jpnr« th«\T> to pdi another thousand men to the Polica Force. Very cool this, coming from a Cabinet Minister seated comfortably six hundred miles from the scene of danger. It reminds us of the " comfortable relations " which were once announced from the same locality ou the eve of the bloodiest war that ever desolated the frontier. Mr. Merriman may not have great dread of a Kafir wai% but what about the people exposed to its brunt ! S ngularly enough the alarm and scare reported bi-low come from the very district for which Mr. Merriman is a member. " There is great excitement here. Alarming rumours are flying about with reference to an impending Kafir outbreak. The KaSrland traders are leaving their homes and coming into town, and many more are expected to do so. The farmers are spe iking of forming lagers for the protection of themselves and families Nothing definite seems to be known as to the cause of the panic ; but I have heard it stated as a sure sign of a disturbance, that the natives ar<3 this year storing their corn in the mountains, instead of adopting the usual course of placing it in pits. It is a' so rumored thac several servants amongst the farmers have warned their masters to quit if they would save themselves. That there is something brewing I have hardly any doubts, as there must be a little fire where there is so much smoke. The Dordrecht Volunteers, who now number about sixty men, were yesterday served out with a hundred rounds of ammunition each man, and told to hold themselves in readiness. A great public meeting was held last night to consider about defence in case of attack About a hundred inhabitants were present, and various resolutions wore adopted, and a Committee of Safety appointed. It was resolved that a request be sent to Government for 150 stand of arms and four Gktling guns." — ' Fort Beaufort Advocate.'