BASUTO "KING."

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1439, 14 May 1912, Page 5

BASUTO "KING."

DEMAND FOR UNIFORM LIKE THE KAISER'S. The Bloenifontein "Post" recently interviewed Lotsie. the paramount Cluot of Ba-sutoland (the mountainous district between the north-west corner of Cap? Colony and Natal), who lately gathered to himself large force?, on the question of his hostility ami discontent. Letsie declared himself afraid of tlie ITnion1 T nion government, which he compared to a snake trying to kill his people. "If," he said, "the snake trios lo kill me, others may try io kill the snnke. T am frightened of the TTnion. Those who mode it are a highly civilised people; niv nation is backward. 80 how can two snow peoples mix?" j.etsie also charged the Imperial Government with the breach of certain agreements made in the time ot Queen Victoria, and declared thi»t he had irrievancw t<fninst 'he local Administration. He' referred =o the National Council in an arrogant fashion, and threatened "to wipe it out" if it did not comply with his wishes An incongruous note \vns struck oy ihe Chief's discontent wiih his proven! jror{jeous uniform, lie desires to have one made on tho nioth-l of the German Emperor's. A remarkable feature of the incident was that l.eKic arrogated to himself the title of Kim- of flasntolawl, which lias norer been chimed by his predecessor*. ,n lt ~ The "Post" urpes General B<"»tha. tne Premier, to rifit Bnsiitolaud ?nd tho in vta rolicvo tufctf anxiety (md dieco&teal*