THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1906.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7962, 13 February 1906, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1906.

That there are "dark days" still before South Africa seems to be generally admitted and feared by many of those, whom, it may be presumed, are the most competent to express an opinion. Sir Arthur Lawley, for some time Governor of the Transvaal, toot advantage of his removal to a sphere of offloial toil in Asia to give frank utterance to what,, in his opinion, constituted the gravest of all dangers in South Africa. Sir Arthur referred to the growing possibility of an armed con-

flict between whites and blaokß, extending over all the ooloniea from the Cape to the Zambesi. "See to tbis question," her urges on the dominant race, "tor it is the greatest problem you have to face." Thus is the plain truth expressed by one who haa never been an alarmist, and whose sources of information must certainly be regarded as highly reliable. * * * * * An English newspaper, of standing, referring to Sir Arthur Lawley's warning, says: "We only hope that the warning will be taken to heart by those of the Boer leaders, who conceive it to be a patriotic obligation to do all in their power to perpetuate antiBritish hatred among other followers. There arc some of tfietn who should remember how vary nearly the fierce Zulus wiped out their sparse nationality, and how they then shouted for English military protection, even at the cost of their own independence. With that page of history still unturned, even-the dullest should recoguite the expediency of promoting white consolidation before the natives, confident in their immensely Superior numbers, and encouraged by the antagonism between the European races, attempt an armed reuolt. It would be suppressed, no doubt, out before that happened there would be few Boer farming families left to deplore their perversity in ignoring Sir Arthur Lawley's valediotory comment." Thus doth the journal in question misrepresent facta and display its vindichveness, which it scarcely attempts to oonceal. * * * \* * As a matter of fact the Boers owe Britain nothing, and that they will certainly have little difficulty in repaying it—that is from our point of view; their point of view is, of course, another matter. There'is, however, this fact, and it is worthy of consideration, that the Boers have a very much better understanding of the native laces in South Africa than the British, and that, conquered as they may be, they have never yet shown the slightest feeling of friendliness towards the British. On the other hand there is muoh evidence of the fact that the Boer leaders have been striving ever since peace was declared to keep "alive" the memories of the war. Can we suppose that such aotions are without an objent? Oan we accept the opinion that there is not a danger to British supremacy in South Africa by reason of the enormous numbers of the native races? A cable published in yesterday's issue was, perhaps, sianificant. It told of a "brush" that the Natal polico had had with a party of Zulus, men belonging to the fiercest, the bravest, the most enduring, and the est native race in oouth Africa, and it may be the most intelligent as well. The end of the little fracas referred to may be less than smoke, or it may prove to be the fcoroh that shall kindle the flame of war throughout South Africa. It is idle to suppose (hat the native queston will remain in its present stage very muoh longer. If matters do not make for the better they will certainly make for the worse, and we have Sir Arthur Lawley's injunction—"See to this question, for it is the greatest problm you have to face."