The Transvaal.

Manawatu Herald, 29 June 1899, Page 3

The Transvaal.

A large consignment; of rifles has been Bhippe3 from Hamburg for the Transvaal Government; The Canadian aothorities have offered the Imperial Government a thousand picked men for service in Sooth Africa in the event of hostilities occurring in the Transvaal. As the result of the consultation of burghers with reference to the outlandera' claims, a majority ha* decided in favour of giving President Kruger a free hand in drafting re forms. The Transvaal Government now proposes . to give the outlanders the franchise after a period of six years' residence, the concession to be retrospective. It is also proposed to abolish the naturalisation clause, which provides for two years re sidence, registration, and the payment of a fee of £2. A monster petition is being organised in the Cape Colony for presentation to the Imperial Government in support of the action of Sir Alfred Milner, the British High Commissioner, who recently conferred with President Kruger in re gard to the claims of outlanders in the Transvaal. General Joubert, commander of the Transvaal military forces, denie? that he is purchasing more guns for the Republic. The •• Times " declares that if the latest enfranchisement proposals re ported from Pretoria are made in good faith and without unexpressed limitations, they will be cordially welcomed, both in London and South Africa, as the basis of nn amicable settlement of present difficulties. Heavy orders have been cabled from South Africa to Australia for frozen meat, general food stuffs an<l foW£fi Melbourne find Adelaide txpovtcr? have arrangpd to send considerable, quantities of flour to South Africa. The Righ Hon. Jo?pph Chamberlain, Secretary of State for thr Colonies, in a speech at Birmingham rpfevred in strong terms to the Transvaal difficulty. Mr Chamberlain said that on four occasions during the past fifteen years aggressions and intrigues on the part of the Boers had almost occasioned war. and had imposed on the British taxpayer increased military expenditure to the extent of half a million sterling annually. The refusal of the Transvaal Government to do substantial justice to the Outlanders was a standing menace to the peace ci South Africa, and was, moreover, injurious to the. British position and the paramountcy of Great Britain. Neither the British Government nor the country would allow patience to become indistinguishable from weakness or moral pressure to become a farce. The British Government intended to support Sir Alfred Milner, its High Commissioner in south Africa, and see the thing through. The misgovernment of the Transvaal was a festering sore, poisoning the atmosphere of South Africa. "With a few exceptions the British press commends the firmness of the Government in regard to affairs in the Transvaal.