A WARNING THAT WAS NOT HEEDED. Britons Hero Worship Boer Leaders.

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 112, 23 August 1902, Page 8

A WARNING THAT WAS NOT HEEDED. Britons Hero Worship Boer Leaders.

IF Christian de Wet or, indeed, any other Boer general, had secretly landed in England a year ago and had then disclosed his identity he would not have had a very warm welcome Even in this colony the general opinion seems to be that if captured shooting would be a great deal too good for him or any of his fellow commandants. Then who spoke of the Boers as brave men in those days were pro- Boers of the deepest dye and very often severely handled. Now all is changed. Mr. Seddon warned the nation against effusiveness in greeting the Boer generals. He did not believe in looking upon these men as martyrs when the fight had been fair and square. It was not very likely that

the British people would hear the voice from the Pacific, but in spite of all the puerile twaddle written on the subject Mr. Seddon undoubtedly gauged the Boer accurately. * * # From what can be gathered by a perusal of scrappy cable messages, these great and adored Boer leaders were quite unresponsive to the absurd and undignified plaudits of the English crowds. It is increasingly obvU ous that the British people are losing the reserve that once distinguished them. They uproariously applauded the Shah of Persia in London on Monday last ; or was it the Shah's handsome apparel and equipage? There was lvally no occasion to blesa those who had previously been cursed in the effusive manner described in the cable. You have noticed that the great Boer leaders were unresponsive, and in contrast to the welcoming throngs, indifferent. It is the entire and unreasoning change of front that is so striking. It is the expression of a sympathy that is open to the gravest misconstruction, and which in the future may lead to complications. * * # The Boers show in every action and every resolution made that the beating still rankles. The sight of myriads of English people apparently demented metaphorically patting them on the back for handing over their country like good boys, might rouse the enmity of a less bitter man than Christian de Wet. Time after time Mr. Seddon has been the only man who has had the courage of his convictions sufficiently deeply rooted to loudly proclaim them. Of course he has been ridiculed vastly on his attitude towards the war. What does he know about war ? War apart, he has proved himself a vt-ry tolerable judge of human nature, and an excellent critic of Boer human nature. * * • It is not British to foster enmity against a foe, but it is un-British to salaam to an enemy as a martyr. Some day it may be seen that Mr. Seddon's strong convictions were not formed by a thirst that many credit him with, for blood. He is farsightedly Imperialistic, and he has seen that the hero-worship of the Boers might redound to the trouble of the hero-worshippers. He became unpopular with a section for advocating a less lenient treatment of the then enemy, and events have proved that the larger the concessions granted the more demanded, and greater the dissatisfaction. Seeing that the probabilities are that several prominent Boers will shortly visit the colony, it is fitting that the reception tendered them shall be as dignified and quiet as possible. We c»n admire without becoming hysterically effusive.

The Yorkhire Society of New Zealand hold its seventh annual sooial at the Hotel Cecil on Wednesday, August 27th, at 7.45 p.m., and you ought to be there. It is one of the jolliest functions of the year, and the "Yorkies" hare a habit of trying to beat one another in the telling of good tales and in hospitality to their guests. Among those who have accepted invitations to be present are: Sir Joseph Ward, Sir Robert Stout, and His Worship the Mayor. The presidents of the Gaelic. Cornish, and Canterbury Societies will be on hand to help the banquet along, and a happy time is expected. The American Vaudeville Stars, news of whom comes from Hawera, have arranged for a descent on the Empire City in about six weeks' time. Kelly and Ashby, erstwhile of the World's Entertainers, bring their billiard-table act with them, and Cunning, also here before, has a large place in the bill. Dorothy Roberts', with her picaninnes, and Morris and Wilson, sketch artists, are included. Beryl Gilman and Irene Duval, also old friends, are ballad singers for the company. The Projectoscope moving picture machine, showing among other things Ard Patrick winning the Derby, is said to be Al. The Kelburne Rifles are going to give their comrades from South Africa a welcome social on Friday, 22nd August, in the Druids' Hall, Taranaki-street. The Kelburnes do things pretty thoroughly, and they intend keeping up their reputation. Tickets are 4s, 2s 6d, and 2s, and the committee sunnlies them. Percy Le Grove is secretary.