SOUTH AFRICA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8387, 23 March 1907, Page 5

SOUTH AFRICA.

RESTRICTIONS ON ASIATICS.

Received March 22, 7.56 a.m. PRETORIA, March 21. Sir Richard Solomon, the Nationalist leader who was mentioned for the Premiership, but was defeated by Sir Percy Fitzpatrick (Progressive) for Pretoria, will accompany General Botha, Premier of the Transvaal, to England. Mr Smuts, Colonial Secretary, intends to submit to the Transvaal Parliament, for reinstatement, the Asiatic Ordinance which Lord Elgin, Secretary of State for the Colonies, disallowed. Received March 22, 10.14 p.m. PRETORIA, March 22. The Transvaal Legislative Assembly, after electing General Beyers Speaker, proceeded to the Upper House, where. Lord Selborne delivered his inaugural speech. He announced that the Ministers had resolved that the importation of Chinese must cease at the earliest possible date, but they will be repatriated until substitutes are found. If these are not forthcoming, the indentures will be temporarily renewed. The Ministers, meanwhile, will do their utmost to increase the supply of Kaffirs. . The Assembly passed the Ordinance, cabled yesterday, through all its stages, the Opposition co-oper-ating. After the third reading the measure was sent to the Upper House. The Government wanted it settled forthwith, but the Council were about to adjourn when Mr H. C. Hill declared that unless the Bill was immediately passed the Assembly would adjourn and thus I wreck the Bill.

Mr Feltham and others declared that the Council declined to be rushed.

Consideration of the measure was adjourned till to-day. ! LONDON, March 21.

Sir Gilbert Parker, Conservative member for Gravesend, interviewed, said that if the ordinance was reenacted—as he felt sure it would be —Lord Elgin would hardly venture to again disallow it, as ninety-nine out of every hundred whites in South Africa thoroughly approved the ordinance.