THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1906.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7970, 22 February 1906, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1906.

In reference to the recent cablegrams bearing upon the native disturbances in Natal, a Southern contemporary pertinently remarks that tbe signiflcance of the native rising in Natal will not fail to have impressed thoughtful people. The revolt merely emphasise repeated warnings that a tipie will come when «the South African coltaies will be compelled in self-defence to formulate a native policy on a basis designed to ensure the stability of the rule of the whites from the Zambesi to tbe Cape of Gotfd Hope. For some years

past there baa been ample evidence af a process of development and awakening amongst the native races in South Africa, which havu began to realise the power of a vast numerical superiority and the fear is that present revolG against the payment of taxes in Natal may be hut the beginning of a great struggle for racial supremacy, the outcome of which cannot possibly bo foreseen at this stage. Hitherto strife between | the English and Dutch factions in j South Africa has prevented any unity of aotion in respect ta the native problem, but matters have now reached such a pitch that* the whites must sink their difference and together face a common danger. Some idea of the situation may be realised lrom the fact that iu Natal, where the present trouble has occurred, the white population numbers about 100,000, and there are about as many Indians and Asiatics, while the natives number over 900,000. This disproportion is almost maintained over the whole of South Africa, and obviously it is only the ignorance and barbarism of the black population which enables the whites to remain j masters of the couutry. At present civilisation has only touched the fringe of the mass of black humanity, j The ten millions of negroes south of I the Zambesi comprise many distinct types. At one end of the siale they are steeped in the deepest barbarism, clinging tol tribal customs, and are in much the same condition' as they were a century ago; but at the other end there are thousands of natives eagerly as-

suming all the trappings of civilisation. Britain, whose -destiny it has been to oarry enlightenment into \piost of the dark spots of the earth, brought religion and education to the negro. State schools scattered all over Cane Oolony and Ndtal have been educating the black man for two generations, and zealou9 missionaries gave him a religion which be has learned to use for more purposes than that of saving his soul. In addition to this there is always i* school of negrophile altruists, who, regardless of sociological facts, and principles, preach a doctrine of equality for black sui white raoes, and delude the negro into ihe belief that the only difference between him and the white is one of colour, and that be should be invested with the same political and social rights. Apart from racial prejudices, which make the suggestion of social equality and it? natural consequences, inter-marriage, a peculiarly unpleasant one to most whites whc have come in contact with the ueg'ro, the fact remains that i< takes more than a veneer of education to convert a savage into a civilised and a cultured being.

A conference of delegates from the various districts and councils of different Friendly Societies in the colony, will be held, in Wellington, in May, with the object of completing colonial organisation of the Societies. The holding of such a conference becomes of more than passing importance in a cosoffiunity where so large a proportion of the population adopts the methpd of insurance which friendly societies afford. The suggested federation will give weight to the recommendations that are frequently made to the Government for the more equitable treatment of these organisations. The conference will be held under the auspices of the Wellington United Friendly Societies Council, and the following reasons aie given by that body why the conference is desirable:~-(a) The proposal of the Government to introduce a Friendly Societies' Amendment Bill during the coming session makes it speoially desirable that a conference should pronounce on same prior to introduction; (b) a recent amendment of the Old Age Pension Act permits the penalisation of members of Friendly Societies insomuch as benefit's received from Societies may be reckoned as a "set-off" against the amount granted as Old Age Pensions; this is an urgent matter requiring combined and immediate attention; (a) it is considered that the time has now arrived for the federation of the various Ordeis throughout New Zealand by the means of (1) the division of the colony into districts for the election of Friendly Societies' Oounoils to bo registered under the new Friendly Societies Act; (2) tbe periodical holding of a conference of delegates to disouss matters dealing with legislation and other proposals conducive to the intere&ts of Friendly Societies generally; (3), tbe election o£ a Colonial Executive to act as a vigilance committee durina the intervals of the aforesaid conferences. The discus- ■ sions that will take place should prove beneficial to members of Friendly Societies. The Government is facilitating tbe holding of the conference by granting railway passes to delegates.