“ BOTHA IS HONEST.”

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3358, 26 October 1911, Page 8

“ BOTHA IS HONEST.”

SOUTH AFRICAN PROBLEMS.

COLORED MENACE. ‘‘We believe Botha is honest in his desire to work loyally, and to bring his own people into line with more progressive ideas in the British sense.” That is the opinion of Senator W. F. Lance, of the South African Parliament, who is on a short visit to Australia. ‘‘Botha’s policy is fairly progressive,” he said yesterday. “He is more progressive than the bulk of his followers. But he is limited by his following, a large portion of which is reactionary. If he is able to bring them into line, and hold them there for any length of time, he will he doing a big thing. When 1 speak of the Botha following being largely reactionary, I mean that the reactionaries believe in Africa for the Africanders. They don’t want to make things African too British.

“General Botha’s. Government is practically composed of Boers, and his supporters are mainly Boers. But he has British supporters. Unlike the Dutch, the British do not stick solidly together. If the British were as solid as the Dutch in South Africa there would be a good chance of a British administration.

“The Botha Government is a Conservative Government, representing the land-owning people. Nearly all the land over there is privately owned, the Government holding very little. The Opposition, led by Dr. Jamieson, we regard as the Democratic narty, although the Labor party, which consists of four, and supports the Government, disputes the claim. “The land problem is verv acute in South Africa, and so far ‘the Botha programme has provided no remedy. Estates are held in from 12,000 to 20,000 acre blocks by Boers, who squat on it, and do nothing. IMMIGRATION. “Recently a select committee of the Senate wenjt into the question, and took evidence concerning what is beingdone in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. It was conclusively shown that a very large portion of South Africa consists of as good land a.s anywhere in l the w'orld. The committee declared for closer settlement, and has i ecc in mended the Government to acquiie land and out it up into suitable allotments. It suggests that facilities should be afforded, both to men in the country who want land—of whom there a T e many—and tio men from overseaThe Government is now eonsiderino- the report. "

“Whim in London General Botha declared himself in favour of the principle of immigration, but he approached the subject with extreme caution, saying that great care must lie taken to get the right class of people: and lie added that the poor whites in the country must first be provided for. The Boer Government is not altogether a happy family in regard to these troublesome questions. General Hertzog. another member of the administration, ha*s openly declared that lie would consider immigration a crime. .“The poor whites that General Botha laid stress upon arc a class of Boers who have drifted into the towns. Some doubtless cam be put back on the land. But others simply lack to the Government for doles in accordance with the old traditional Boer policy, under which the Government wa s conskledred to be there for the purpose of giving out doles in cattle, land, or money, to its own people. .“We want to get a class of men who will occupy the land and work it themselves. And then we are confronted with the difficu’ty that the European, immediately he comes into contact with the native blacks, is apt to become demoralised as regards work. The blacks do all the manual work, and the only wav we can make the country a white man’s country is to attract white settlers who will do their own work.

“The native question is a big ques-t-ion. The blacks are increasing largely* At present the natives and coloured people half-castes-—(outnumber the whites by 10 to 1. Tim country should be a. white man’s country. Its climate is at* good as the climate of Australia In some parts of South Africa- the climate is perhaps better‘‘‘lf we hr rag about .-Jcs-er fettlc-.mci.-t, and t-h'-e practice ft dry-farming more particularly, I think there will be a great future for South Africa. The depression which followed the war is lifting and the racial feeling is a lessening quantity. One cannot say the feeling -has gone. But it will go. We are trying to assimilate the races, and build u]) one nationality.”