NO COALITION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 647, 26 October 1909, Page 5

NO COALITION.

MR. STEYN ON 'SOUTH' AFRICAN UNIONn : ' LANGUAGE -QUESTION. V---. : NATIVE PROTECTORATBS SHOULD BE. ;,.-.,' ;,,' .; : TAKEN '0VE3..-. -.. I lUf TclcErapli.-I'rcsn ft«i?oclalloii.-i3c)pKlEht.t '. (Rec, October. 25 l 31.45 p.m.) " London, October 25./ .•'.•Mr.. M. T. Steyn, ex-President of the Orange Free State, and -one of : the . South African Union delegates, was interviewed on the eve of sailing for South Africa,' He declared that a Coalition Ministry was impossible "at present, but", that existing Ministers might form a Union Government', -.■■•.'':■' Ho protested'against the agitation'which is beingjcarried on in the Orango River' Colony against the bi-|ingual provisions of ,the Education 'Act framed by tho Attorney-General, Mr. llertzog.;' : Mr. Steyn declared that tho Act was working well and would keep the scales oven between the two nationalities. .* . "The Union," he added,, "should-take over tho native'protectorates at the earliest possible moment. So long as the Imperial Government has direct control of 'tho natives, Imperial interference is, possible." ■ •'. Tin the Orange River Colony Parliament lost year Mr. Hcrtzog s Education Bill gave rise to some controversy, but Was filially'■■ adopted in AURUSt'On the basis of n compromise, whereby children, may; bo.exempted from learning,the i',nj?lish or the Dutch language, or - from accepting either as a medium of instruction. It was provided that no education ofiiccr should bo dismissed on account of not knowing Dutch, education, was.made. comnulSory undei; a ConnciLof Education.- Tho Constihitionalists '.(British party) strongly opposed the compromise.] DR. JAMESON ;ON THE SITUATION. ■The possibility of a British-Dutch, coalition Government, to .inaugurate the Union, has been discussed; but Dr. Jameson, the Progressive leader in Cape 'Colony,,, stated last month. that, finding a coalition' was deemed imprac-: ticablc, he would abandon his.former plan of devoting himself.to .the development of Rhodo;sia, and would resume an aqtive part in South jAfriqan party politics;.Dr.-Jameson said: • ■• V "I had hoped that tho'first TJnion Government, would take the form of a coalition ■jbotwoen the various parties during what may.be' called the constructive period of the first years' of union. ~Now, however, I understand from reported utterances of: various leaders of politicalrparties now in.power in:the two larger colonies that -'such a coalition is practically .impossible, though I still'firmly believe that in. the interests of South Africa such a coalition' would be infinitely better than! the only alternative, I which:.is a continuance of .the .present party division-, for to my'mind the latter course must inevitably delay the total disappearance of the racial'problem which has beeii the curse of South Africa, up ;to now. This is the position, and this is the explanation of my changed plans. A I shall,now'seek;cleotion for the.Union Parliament, and:,continue to work; with':my partyfor.as long.as I .can be of any service" Regarding'futuro political',combinations, ;Dr. Jameson said,, in conclusion:—"Even with present parties in .power strong.opposition, is exsential, not a? opposition with the desiro of the .'out/ outing the ■'ins/,,but rather with a view, of. helping, the progressive section ; of the 'ins', to counteract the reactionary.tendencies of the' ■less progressive.''.-. . ..;