SOUTH AFRICA

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 31, 6 February 1935, Page 11

SOUTH AFRICA

ATTITUDE TO BRITAIN MEMORY OP BOER WABS' CONFLICT ON NATIVE ISSUE MINISTER'S. FRANK SURVEY/ United Press Association—By Electric Tcl«srapli—Copyright. (Received February 6, 1 p.m.) CAPE TOWN, February 5. Addressing the Imperial Press Conference, the South, African Minister of Defence, Mr. 0. .Pirow, denied that there was any antiBritish feeling in South' Africa. At! the same time he felt that if war broke out and the Government were to attempt rashly to commit South. Africa to any oversea adventure, he was afraid there would be largescale disturbance^, possibly^ even civil war. Referring to the, Union of SoutK. Africa's attitude to the British Navy, Mr. Pirow said . that the Navy's function was not to protect South Africa, but quite rightly to protect British shipping trade. The British Navy got a substantial benefit from being in African waters, a benefit which would greatly increase if the Suez Canal at any time became unavailable. . •

"Anybody." he said, "who wants to .understand South African policy must bear in mind "that lo this Afrikaans section the Boer War i 3 much fresher than in the minds of those who fought against them." In connection with coastal defence Mr. Pirow.said that it was difficult to overestimate die important part aircraft would play in time of war. The Government had gone out of its way to acquire through the British! War Office the latest bomber fighters for coastal defence purposes. Referring lo the conflicting policies of the Union and other parts of Africa relating to natives, Mr* Pirow said: "I do not know that' any compromise is possible, and the" intensity of feeling on both sides is definitely increasing and must lead to a struggle to a finish. Some such' | event as a European war or a wave |of religious fanaticism across Africa might precipitate I bloodshed on an unprecedented