The Daily News MONDAY, MARCH 15. NATAL'S TREASON TRIAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 42, 15 March 1909, Page 2

The Daily News MONDAY, MARCH 15. NATAL'S TREASON TRIAL.

) Fortunately treason trials arc rare in I the British colonies. That concluded in Natal recently radicates many circumstances, liglit on wliich is timely at the present moment in South Africa. Dinizulu, the Zulu cliief who was accused of many grave offences' against the I State, complied with a request to surrender himself to the Natal Government as far back as December, 11)07. Since that time a protracted enquiry has taken place within the gaol at Pieterinaritzburg, in the course of which many scores of witnesses, native and European, tendered evidence. The enquiiy was, in a sense, secret; ollieia] reports, containing only what the Drown authorI itics decided to publish were issued to "" newspapers. No precise charges were levelled against the cliief prior to his I surrender; but as witness after witness I told of what he knew, or of what lie imagined, the indictment took form ami rapidly assumed alarming dimensions. The Natal Attorney-General has not been particularly happy in hie framing

of tlie indictment .again Dinizulu. Several of the charges were not proceeded with at the trial. The allegations against him when he was committed ior i trial by the •l'ie.tennitfitalmrg, Jlagistrate included high treason, public violence, sedition, murder, being accessory to murder, conspiring to murder, inciting to murder, and being hi unlawful possession of firearms. After a trial before a Special Court, extending over 70 days, and involving Natal in an expenditure of £IO,OOO, this huge structure oi alleged crime has collapsed like the proverbial hoiine of cards. Dr.iizulu, however, has been found guilty of one crime and that, surely, not, of a very atrocious nature. Two rebels went unasked U his kraal at Usutu and, because he dh not at once drive them forth, he lia > been sentenced to imprisonment for tw< years and nine months, and ordered t< pay a fine of £IOO.

The Government of Natal, ami many of the Natal officials, come very badly out of this so-called treason trial. For two vcsirs prior to the surrender 01 Dinizulu tin- world wan startled from time to time by scares from Natal. Tlip most preposterous predictions concerning meditated rebellions were cabled abroad and on the authority of the Natal Ministers. Even the former Governor of the eolony. Sir H. McCallum. , probably inspired by his adviser?., cabled to London that lie' had "absolutely reliable information" that the Zulus, under Diniziilu, were to rise. Those better informed as to the intentions of the nations were incredulous and demanded that the Government should enter upon immediate investigations. A trustworthy official, Sir Charles Saunders, was, after considerable delay, appointed to enquire. The Governor supplied him with his authorities for stali iiig that a rebellion was impending, and he proceeded to the spot where, he was informed, the preparations were well advanced for the great uprising of the Zulus. He found those particular native* busy rn. their mcalie (maize) gardens, oblivious of the commotion that | was raging concerning them farther south. After' a patient and exhaustive enquiry Sir Charles Saunders reported that the Governor had been mish'tormed, that allegations as to intended risings were altogether unjustifiable, and that the natives of Zululand were per-

fectlv quiet and peaceful. Nor was this refutation sufficient. Every day fresh .-.tciiies and additional charges were ■forthcoming. As late as October last year, while Dinizulu was awaiting trial, and his ease, according to all the canons ot equity, suh judicc, we find the Commandant of Jlilitin sitting openly .and ; hlandly on judgment on the unfortu- ; nale chief. In a report we find the Com- : maiidiint adjudicating thus: "There ap- : peared to he no doubt in the minds of : the chiefs that the trouble in the land : was hatched at the Usutu (Diniznlu's) : kraal, and spread from there through- \ out the country. It was epiite apparent J to me (hat the trouble would spread \ and become most serious; in fact, it was ! probable that the whole of Zululand ! would have been up in arms, whilst the '.. tribes of Natal and other colonics would : have followed suit." The Cape Times, the other day, made • very pointed reieretiee to Nalal's niai- : administration with respect to the col- : ony's immense native population. At ; the time of the so-called native rebel- : lion, it may be remembered, General : llotha, Premier of the Transvaal, oJl'er- \ cd to send military assistance to Natal [ but on one condition. That condition ! was that the treatment of the natives ! must be so changed and improved that '. all cause for future discontent among : them would be removed. No one read- : ing the South African newspapers dur- : ing the past three years could fail to : be impressed by the evidence of the : strong racial antagonisms which exist = between black and white throughout the : entire country, but more especially in ; the colony of Natal. The Cape natives : are peaceful and contented: they pos- : sess the franchise, and, politically, arc : a force that cannot lie overlooked. Klse- : where, the natives are voteless, millions ; of them are landless. In' Natal and ; Znluland, a large majority is but partly [ civilised, and is wanting in worldly pos- \ session*; men are regarded as hut little . removed form the beasts of burden. : Their numbers, however, cause them to : lie feared. They seem to be despised on ; the one hand, .dreaded on the other. The prosecution just finished reveals the poverty of official information touching Xatal's native populations. Official reports have been shown, to be at fault, and the official methods of securing be- ■ lated information to be one of the most crude and imperfect description. Native evidence appears to have been depended upon chiefly for the getting together of a ease against Dinizulu. And that evidence, it is clear, has completely broken down under the examination of the brilliant lawyer who defend.'il the chief. Mr. W. V. Sehreiner, brother of Hiss Olive Schreiner, authoress m "The Story of an African Farm." If we are not mistaken, the trial of Dinizulu, by directing attention to the present situation in Natal, will prove to be hi liii>ltn<; benefit to the natives of (hi- whole of South Africa. Native reforms in Natal and Zululand seem to be Ui'gelitlv needed.