NATION-BUILDING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 569, 26 July 1909, Page 7

NATION-BUILDING.

NATIVE RIGHTS.

DOWNING STREET. AND THE UNION. A REFUSAL (By Toloßrapb.-l'reßß Aisoclatlon.-Oopyrlglit.) (Rec July 25, 3 5 pn) London, July 21 The modifications agreed to in tho South Aftican Union Bill place matteis affecting Asiatics undci the control of tho Go\emorGenoial, nn,t the Piouncml Councils. Shipowners domiciled in Great Britain aio ontitled to appeal to the Prny Council ro-1 gdiding affairs on tho high seas. Ihe delegates refused the Biitish request 1 to incorporate'tho Customs clauses relating to tho nalivo protectoratrs in tho Bill These will remain in tho schedule. Q'hp delegates informed Lord Crowe (Sccrotaiy of State for the Colonies) that there is: no reason to doubt that tho liberal fiscal arrangements hitherto gnen to the natne teiritorics of Basutobnd, Bechunnalandi and Swaziland will bo continued. NATIVE DEPUTATION; LORD CREWE NON-COMMITTAL London, July 23. Tho Eail of Crewo, Secretaiy of State toi tho Colonics, receucd the Hon W I' Sohipmer (formerly'Piemicr of Cape and a deputation of natne coloured South Afiicans, who Bought to have ainondmcn s nndp in the South African Union Bill Lord Ciowe was sympathetic, but did w>o I promise tho desired amendments.

THE.UNION AND THE MOTHERLAND. ■ The position as. between, the,-Imperial Government aiid the. South African delegates is somewhat delicate. As was illustrated, by General Botha's "trust-, the. Union" speech on. 'arriyal'in'Englttndi'tlife' delegates came' to ; ttfe Old Country with.some idea, that - the Imperial .Government' might make substantial ; amend* ments to the Union Bill. The nativd delegates to Britain, and Mr."\V. P. Sohreiner's statement in the Capo Assembly ,th<(t he would "cony on agitation in England",.ori ; the subject, of..native political rights',- may have ; operated . to) pro: dlioe : this , impression'.' among delegates. „■: : The same spirit was in. evidence, last, month in' the.Qape:Assembly; where-the Premier (Mr. Mcrriman) objected strongly to a certain speech reported to have bee(i made by Colonel ■ Soely (Uride'r-Secre'tarV for the ColonieF), and Mr. Sauer (one of the Cape delegates) declared that "as surely, as .the ; suri, shines, . once; Union is accomplished', avo will 'not tolerate interference, with , our affairs.".- .-. '.■•'",'•"• The' above remarks were, according to Hie Parliamentary correspondent of 'the "Daily Mail," btieed on a misconception as to'..what Colonel. Seely said. ' " Colonel.'Seely-, that , the, draft' Act' could not be introduced to Parliament; in the precise, forni in, which it had, been printed,■because/(1) its terms had already . been, considerably •■ altered . by ; "the. Bloemfontein Conference,: and (2) because-cer-tain alterations of legal and technical phraeeolozy were inevitable. . But < Colonel Seely •added, .that, the alterations would, be technical,and that the principles had been settled. Certain outstanding,matters ivduld have to be '<l;s--piissed with Colonial Premiers, and when agreement Was reached and'the alterations incorporated in the Bill it would be:.introducedin the Hqilse of Lords and pass, through its ordinary: stages: in . both . Houses. .. Finally, Colonel rSeely commended the Bill to ■ the •House, on the grounds (anipug: others) .that, it secured to the'nativos-thoir tights' with regard tola.™, their rights, ofi assembly, and a profiibi-' tion : of the sale., of intoxicating drink. ... .

-There is the best, authority for'stating that the /British..Government ardently desirA the'.urtion, .African;.' States, 'and I that; they are> determined .to trust.- , thfi peoples; of -that Vast ■, territory- in :working out thejr.,.pv , n' des-