A MAGNIFICENT SPECTACLE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 962, 1 November 1910, Page 5

A MAGNIFICENT SPECTACLE.

PICTURESQUE SCENES FROM THE PAST. The pageant organised to celebrate the Union of South Africa will probably last a fortnight. Mr. Frank Lascelles, the master of the pageant at Quebec two years ago, is undertaking the same duty at Cape Town. The idea underlying the pageant is to create from the outset of the Union a tradition founded on the actual history of the races of which "the last-born nation of tho British Empire" is made up. The First Day. In the. first scene will bo shown .tho sequence of the various aboriginal races, tho stronger' and better-armed gradually overcoming and driving out, their weaker predecessors until finally, during the triumph of tho latest of the conquerors, tho ships of the first discoverers are seen in the distance. .Affrighted: at this strange apparition the natives flee from the shore, loaving it free for the landing of Bartolommeo Diaz, the Portuguese navigator. The second scene shows the dispatch of an expedition with South Africa as its goal. It is a tableau of Vasco da Gama starting from the Chapel of the Eremita, in Rastello, accompanied by a great ecclesiastical prooession with special dispensations from tho Pope. In the third scene is represented the first colonisation after the landing of Van Riobeck, sent out by the Dutch East India Company to establish a station on tho Indian route. Tho fourth scene shows the gradual growth of the white power. The rise of tho Dutch colonial period will be represented in the fifth scene by merrymakings on the birthday of Simon van der Stcl. Tho period of the sixth scene is laid during tho first English occupation, and the scene illustrates the friendly relations which existed'at that time between tho English and the Dutch. This is shown by a visit of Lady Anne Barnard to one of the great Dutch country, estates. The seventh scene—the last under the Hollander regime—shows tho granting of arms to the city of Capo Town. The eighth nnd last scono of tho first day is a purely military spectacle, showing the various regimonts of both tho English and Dutch forces at the moment of the capitulation in 180b'. The Second Day. The episodes of tho second day are in contrast to those oF tho first day, in that they largely concern tho various movements which have resulted lu the

commercial prosperity of the country at the present time. Tho first sceno represents tho great influx of new settlers in 1820; the second tho demand for a free Press aftor Lord Charles Somerset's attempt at its suppression. The third, fourth, and fifth scenes depict incidents in tho Great Trek which opened up the : northern countries. Tho sixth scene is the_ final assertion by the colonists cf I their right to discriminate as to who should lie considered proper people to land. This is shown by tho refusal to allow the convicts sent out from England to leave tho ship—a protest against arbitrary external power which proved successful. Tho seventh and last historical episodo shows the beginning of improved relations between the white and the black races. This is indicated by tho presentation by President Hoffman of a plough to the black chief Mosesh. The finale is allegorical, and depicts the conquest of savagery, ignorance, and unrest by the force of peace and knowledge. It will culminate in a tableau representing United South Africa, during.which tho 'l'e Deum" will be sung by the entire body of the performers—about 5000 in number. THE ACT OF UNION. THE NEW SOUTH AFRICAN CONSTITUTION. The South African Constitution Act is one of Union as opposed to Federation. Whereas in Austrafia the various States retain their powers, except such as are delegated to the Commonwealth Government, in South Africa the Union Government takes over tho entire powers of the four States except a few local and, in tho main, unimportant functions which are retained by the Provincial Governments. Even these can bo assumed by the Union Government if desired by a majority of their Parliament at anv time. Tho Act provides, that the Cabine't must not exceed ten, and that Parliament must be summoned within six months of tho establishment of tho Union. While Pretoria is the Executive capital, Parliament will sit at Cape Town. This being the compromise betweon the rival cities. Parliament consists of two Houses, tho Senate and tho Commons. The Senate is/ partly nominated and partly elected, the nominated members being supposed to represent the coloured races. Tho Lower House consists of. 121 members, apportioned between the four Colonies on a modified papulation basis: Cape of Good Hope 51 Natal 17 Transvaal _ 30' Orange Free States ..„..„ 17 ■ , m Among tho conditions for candidature for Parliament is the provision that the candidate must be of European descent. The electoral franchise is not uniform. In the Cape Colony, where i e native has long enjoyed the vote, he is allowed to retain the privilege, but in the new Colonies the native will not be allowed to vote. One of the most notable provisions in the Constitution is that designed to avoid deadlock between tho two Houses. The Upper and Lower Houses sit together and decide tho question in dispute by a two-thirds majority. The Colonial Governments resolve themselves into something resembling the County Councils at home.. The Executive will not depend for its existence upon the vote of the Chamber, but will fulfil its term, of years, and thus the rigour of tho party system 'is avoided. The head of the Provincial Executive is the Lieutenant-Governor, who, in the case of each of tho Provinces/has already been, appointed. The Supremo Court is to sit at Bloemfontein, this being another phaso of the _ compromise arrived at.in regard to capitals.' '