SOUTH AFRICAN REBELLION

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2402, 6 March 1915, Page 7

SOUTH AFRICAN REBELLION

A BLOT ON THE DUTCH PEOPLE

Cape Town, March 4. In the Union Assembly, the Defence Minister (General Smuts), in moving the second reading of the'lndemnity Bill, emphasised the facts that tho rebellion was already in progress prior to the war, and was due to the machinations of highly-placed persons upon some people seeking independence. Three things had saved the country, the first being the loyal support of the Government by all sections of the people. The Government regarded the rebellion as a blot on the Dutch people, and it was their j duty, and privilege, to wipe out the disgrace. Therefore! the Government had employed English troops as, little as possible. Secondly, _ the expeditionary troops had been, switched off from the. Germans to the rebels, and it. was idle to plead that the rebellion was due to the expedition. Boers remembered the bitter experiences of those settling in German territory after the war. A third factor was the Government's refusal to surrender to pressure, especially by Orangia, to issne arms to civilians wholesale. The Government proposed to disqualify for ten years surrenderors and persons captured after the amnesty. Those imprisoned wonld remain in prison until the end of the war. Rebel leaders and influential participants in tho rebellion would be tried by special Courts. -

Mr. Fremantle moved tliat the Bill was inconsistent with the interests of the Union and of the Empire.