PRO-BOER LITERATURE.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 11 October 1901, Page 3

PRO-BOER LITERATURE.

Mr Fisher does good Service.

(our papliambntaty i epoeter.)

Wellington, This Day. Simultaneously with ihe rekindling of the war and the renewed activity of the Boers, said Mr Fisher in the House yesterda}', there had been spread broadcast throughout the Australian Colonies and New Zealand a pamphlet entitled “An American view of the South African situation; how Australasia might help Great Britain,” which for its literary ability, its very high tone, its seductive language, and its insiduous power was unequalled by any pamphlet which had been circulated in this colony for very many years. The power which was behind those \yho had been circulating that

pamphlet through the length arid breadth of Australasia Was evidently possessed of very considerable means and he asked the Government to counteract its influence by reprinting and circulating two other pamphlets, viz, “ The British cause against the BoeV Republics” and Mr Drilges speech, “ Read causes of the war and some of ihe elements of the final settlement.” More important even than those two pamphlets was one recently circulated in Cape Colony entitled “The Birth of the Bond.” It was a translation of a secret manifesto published for the information of the Dutch people only in South Africa in 1880. This secret document had only come to light within the past nine months* and the loyalists in Capetown had printed it in English and Circulated it broadcast. The document proved conclusively, most conclusively, that the war was not originated by the capitalists in the interests of the capitalists or mine-owners. It showed conclusively that the war- was a war of race—a bitter war of race: that the very children before their birth Wtire inoculated with hatred of the English people* and it commanded the people of South Africa to take advantage of the weakness of the Gladstone Ministry to enforce their demands.

The Premier in his reply did not for some time trike the question seriously, but being at length forced to give an answer* said he thought Mr. Fisher’s purpose would have been served by drawing attention to the pamphlets, and if anything further was required Mr. Fisher could move that the two pamphlets be laid on the table and be printed, and he would treat the matter as one for an unopposed return.