SOUTH AFRICAN AFFAIRS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 216, 11 September 1880, Page 4

SOUTH AFRICAN AFFAIRS.

'. An Australian journal describes the difficulties Sir Hercules Robinson will

jbave to encounter in endeavouring to jbring abouii'a South African cbrifedera- ! t ioc:— South Africa cannot be said, in jany sense of the word, toi be a British I community. Cape Colony proper hrs ia population of 485,000 colored and 235,000 wbite persons, of whom not i more than 85,000 claim tbeir descent from the inhabitants of any portion of the United Kingdon. The remainder are. of Dutch origin, speak the language of Holland, and retain the faith, the 'habits and the traditions of the Netherlands. The colored people ore — we iquote from the Statesman's Tear Book :-— " chiefly Hotfentots and Kafirs, tbe remaining portion of the population consists of Malays and so-called Africanders, the latter the offspring of black women and Dutch fathers. Very little communication takes place between the Kafirs, Africanders and Malays, each rnce holding tbe other in contempt." West Griqualand, which includes tbe diamond-fields, has 15,000 white end 30,000 colored inhabitants, iwhite Natal has 23,000 white and 300,000 coloured persons. In both these districts the Dutch are in a decided minority amongst tbe whites. Tha Transvaal has 40,000 Dutchmen, all discontended with British rule, and smarting under an annexation which was utterly unjustifiable; arid 320.000 turbulent natives. The Orange Free State has 30.000 Dutohmen and 'only 15,000 natives, tbe policy 'of the rulers being to drive all the blacks beyond their frontiers. The forms of government in the several portions of South Africa are as different as the races by which it is inhabited. Cape Colony epjoys representative institutions and constitutional government. The Premier, Mr Sprigg, bas from time to time to give place to other premiers, just as Mr Berry had to surrender power to Mr Service, and in Cape Colony the black man enjoys the same political privileges as the white; jthe franohise is enjoyed by every one who occupies property worth £25, or who earns £50 a year or £25 in addition to his board. Natal is a Crown polony, with an Assembly partly nominee and partly elected by the white population, but having no power jover the executive. The Transvaal is jan almost.pure despotism. The Orange iFree State is an independent republic. 'When it is stated, besides that the Dutch and their descendants dislike the other European races in South Africa, and, have never forgiven the British Government, first for coming to the iCape fit all, and secondly for emancipating their slaves, it will easily be seen 'that difficulties /in ., the way of bringing about confederation in South Africa 'are very much greater than they were in Canada.