African Affairs

Hokitika Guardian, 3 April 1922, Page 1

African Affairs

iCSTIIAUIN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION, VARIOUS ASPECTS. (Received This Dav at 9.40 a.m.) CAPETOWN, April 1 A forecast of the Unemployment Commission’s final .reports indicates drastic recommendations regarding the mines. The Commission considers the underground work in deep levels mines should be done by natives only, whites being employed in surface mining. The industry must expand in every possible way, with a view to providing more surface employment for whites. Every latitude should be given to gold and coal mines and hampering restrictions removed.

A strange story comes from Brakpan mine, the scene of the massacre on March 10th. It appears the attackers, actually had some sort of idea of working the mine after capture. After the murder of the mine officials the under ground manager was told by the leaders of the Reds that unless he arranged to start the mine working, he would be killed. The surviving officials were compelled to sign on° daily till the arrival of troops in order to be available to work the mine. Great capital was made by the nationalists and labourites of the shooting in cold blood by members of the Transvaal-Scottish regiment, of three Africanders brothers named Ffanekom, captured during the revolution. Questions were put in parliament on several occasions. The Premier announced that as the result of inquiries these men were arrested on suspicion of concealing arms and were shot while attempting to escape.

Mr gmuts announced in the Assembly that as the refusal of the Govern ment to appoint a Comfmssion of Inquiry was liable to misinterpretation it had been decided to appoint, immediately an impartial no-Parliamentary Commission, with a Judge as president, to inquire into the declaration and administration of martial law; also the character and aims of the revolution. Government had nothing to hide. It would, however, have to prevent overlapping between the Com mission and course of justice,. which was trying the men charged with offences arising out of the revolution.

In the Assembly, Mr Smuts in moving the second reading of the Indemnity Bill, emphasised the point that the declaration of a general strike on March 7th. .marked the beginning of the revolution. Previous to that there were many indications that the trouble was subsiding and the men were returning to work What hap pened was that the genuine workers were entirely superseded and their place taken by an entirely different body of men and militant leaders oust ed constitutional labour.

SMUTS STRONG INDICTMENT

Received This Day at 10.15 a.m.)

LONDON, April 2

General Snmtsh continued—The revolutionary military junta since known as the Council of Action took thb place of the augmented executive. There were large numbrs of the ignorant poor white class on the Rand, the population also recruiting from less developed countries of overseas people with social ideas absolutely opposed to the traditions of South Africa The advanced communists and internationalists were preaching the deadliest and most dangerous of doctrines. Thus the situation was so inflammable as to make it possible to produce a conflagration. The worst body in this terrible business were the nationalists. The Premier strongly denounced the campaign of calumny against the Government in the Nationalist press, which inflamed the minds of the ignorant population and led them to expect support from the country. Mr Smuts described the revolutionaries first plan of campaign as one to goad the natives into revolt, when they were to spread the report all over the country of a general native outbreak and commandoes of Bngbeis' would, join in. This, Ihoweber, failed owing to the law abiding conduct of the natives. Smuts defended the Government action in delaying martial law, because it did not wish to give the impression that it was trying to coerce the workers back to work at the point of the bayonet. Martial law was only declared when matters had reached the stage where it was impossible to avoid it if Government was not to lose control and it saw the state of affairs which it was hoped would be an object lesson for ever. On Saturday night, March 11th, it, was touch and go. If there had been any really daring spirit among the revolutionaries the worst might have happened on Sunday morning. The Premier detailed the progress of events. Referring to the response of the Burghers, he said he did not believe there had eve r been so magnificent a response, even at the time of the Jameson raid or the rebellion of 1914. Over seven thousand volunteered. He also referred to the fact Hi at every commandant in the revolutionary commandoes wag a Nationalist.

■Received This Day at 10.15 a.m.) CAPETOWN, April 1. Concluding his speech in moving the second reading of the Indemnity Bill, Mr Smuts said the Government would not withdraw martial law until the Indemnity Bill was passed. As showing the seriousness of the outbreak lie read a statement of the captures of arms and casualties. One machine gun captured was a war trophy, and probably was never used. 1150 rifles were seized and over a thousand other firearms and fifty-six thousand rounds of ammunition.

This was after several days fighting. A number of arms and quantities of ammunition were probably hidden. The Government casualties were fifty killed and 227 wounded. The European casualties including revolutionaries and peaceful citzens was 138 killed or died of wounds, and 287 wounded. Coloured natives and Indians killed numbered 31 and wounded 67. The Premier declined to agree to a request by Mr Hertzog and Mr Boydell to suspend the Indemnity Bill un til the Commission had reported. He said it was necesary to withdraw martial law as soon as possible. This could not be done till the Indemnity Bill was passed.