SOUTH AFRICA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9572, 19 August 1909, Page 5

SOUTH AFRICA.

UNION BILL BEFORE THE

COMMONS,

SECOND READING CARRIED,

United Press Asaociuuv,-By Electric Talegtap Copyright. Received Augu&t 18. 8.5 a.m. LONDON, August 17.

In the House of Commons the second reading of the South African Union was carried without a division and the measure was referred to a Committee of the whole House. In the course of the debate. Sir Chas. Dilke, Liberal member for the Forest of Dean, deplored the erection of a terrible bar against coloured people, who, but for their descent, would be eligible for membership of the new Parliament. Colonel Seeley, Under-Secretary for the Colonies* who was in charge of the Bin, warned the House that if the words "of European descent" were struck out, the union would be smashed. ' The Right Hon. A. Lyttelton, who was Colonial Secretary in the Balfour Government, regretted that the colour bar had been set up, but said there was nothing to prevent the Union Parliament from retracing the step. Mr Balfour remarked that" he_Jntended to / vote for anything; the ''Jovernmentjsaid was [necessary for the sucess of the Bill, | which was a wonderful issue out of all the divis- ' ions and controversies, the battles, bloodshed, devastation, and horrors of war. He did not believe the world had shown anything like it in the whole of its history. Mr Balfours' remarks were greeted with loud cheers. The Prime Minister, MraAsquith, said he believedt he Union would be the harbinger of a more enlightened and generous native policy. Interference from the Mother Country—spasmodic, capricious, perhaps sentimental inerference —would be the very worst policy in the interests of the natives themselves. g Colonel Seeley, in closing the debate, said he did not believe that the Union Parliament would attempt to interfere with the Cape coloured franchise. If it did, the Cape representation would be strong enough to prevent it.