The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, MAY 6, 1889. CAPE COLONY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2127, 6 May 1889, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, MAY 6, 1889. CAPE COLONY.

While m Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, prominent public men are considering how best to consolidate the Empire by the incorporation of the colonies as integral parts of one united whole, it would appear that the opposite tendency — that to disintegration — is uppermost m South Africa, that is to say at Cape Oolony. Governor Sir Hercules Robinson, who has just taken his leave of the colonists, has made a speech. of a very remarkable character, m which he not only says that the tendency of publio thought m that dependency is towards republicanism, but also apparently himself concurs with the public sentiment, for he speaks of Imperialism aB having a diminishing tendency (meaning as we understand that those who favor the maintenance of the political connection with the Mother Country are becoming few m number), and goes on to give the reason by condemning the ignorant meddling m colonial affairs of irresponsible personsmeaning, we presume, officials of the Home Government, who are not responsible to the colonies for the blunders they may, and often do, make. All this reads somewhat strangely to us m New Zealand who can scarcely be m any way affected by the action of the Home authorities, save m the one respect that we run certain' risks m the event of war between Great Britain and any other Power, But our case is a very different one to that of Cape Colony which has on its borders States under other Governments, and has had reason to complain bitterly of the disastrous blunders of the Imperial authorities m dealing with questions of the greatest possible interest to its inhabitants, of costly unproductive wars, and of the thwarting of the hopes of those who desired to see a vast British dominion consolidated m South Africa. Doubtless many of the Cape Colonists have begun to think that that hope can only be realised by the consolidation of Cape Colony jyith the Orange Free State and the Transvaal Republic m one united Republic of South Afrioa, flying its own flag, managing its own affairs, and free to deal with Zulus, Kaffirs, or other Native races as it pleases. That is evidently the meaning of Sir Hercules Robinson's address, and it will not be surprising if the first separation of a Colony from the Empire since the great American revolt should take place m Africa.