The Transvaal To-day.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4386, 16 March 1909, Page 3

The Transvaal To-day.

In the Empire Review for January, Mr E. T. Baines has an article on the present condition of the Transvaal, Having been formerly in the Transvaal Civil Service, his conclusions are of consider- , able interest. Dealing with the probability of the Boers making an attempt to regain their independence, he points out that they have regained it at the ; poll, and the balance of voting power lying where it does their ascendency over the British Colonial is assured for a period beyond anyone’s vista. He proceeds : “ That the Boer should ever seek to regain his independence in any other sense appears to me to be impossible to conceive, for the Transvaal enjoys to-day the fullest measure of selfgovernment, tantamount almost to national freedom, as a self-govern-ing British Colony, and, in addition, has—and its rulers are fully aware of the fact the further great advantage of being backed by British credit aud defended by British arms. These same rulers know that, as long as the Empire stands, their country, with its vast mineral wealth, is safe from the covetous glances of nations who need not be specified, and they have already experienced the advantage of going into the money markets of the world with an Imperial guarantee behind them. The earnest desire of the present Government to be amalgamated with the rest of the South African Colonies points clearly to their wish to remain within the Empire. Ido not believe that if their independence were offered the Boers back to-day tbeir leaders would allow them to accept it. To-day the Dutch have almost the same power, should they wish to exercise it, of making the lot of the British unbearable as they had under Kruger regime, but that they should do so is not likely so long as the control of the destinies of the Colony rest in the hands of men like the present Ministry.”