The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-03-17 00:00:00

THE TRANSVAAL.

Mr. Gorst next called attention to the position in the
Trtursvaal of British subjects and persons of the native race,
and moved a resolution declaring that in view of the corn-
plicii y of the Trausvaal Government in the cruel and
treacherous attacks made upon the chiefs Montsioa and Mon-
koroane, energetic steps should be immediately taken to
secure the strict observance by the Triursveal Government
of the Convention of 1881, so that these chiefs might be pre-
served from the destruction with which they are threatened.
Mr. it N. Fowler having seconded the motion,
Mr. John Morley, while not denying that the Boer Govern-
ment had failed in some points to fulfil the convention,
which he regretted we had ever entered jut), asserted that
they had done all that could be expected of a weak and poor
Government to preserve order on their frontiers. He strongly
deprecated intervention by this country in what after all war
no affair of ours.
Mr. Dawnay asserted that the Government had failed in
Its duty and in its obligations in not protecting the outlying
natives against the Boer marauders. Unless the Govern-
meet at once repaired the consequences of its apathy, further
aggressions would follow, and we should at last be compelled
to interfere.
Mr. Cartwright submitted, by way of amendment, that in
view of the very grave complications that must attend
intervention in the affairs of the native population on the
western frontier of the Transvaal the action of British
authorities in those regions should be strictly confined
within the limits of absolutely unavoidable obligations.
After some observations front Mr. Ashmead-Bartlett,
Mr. Ashley, speaking on behalf of the Government, said
he fully joined in condemning, as discreditable to humanity,
the events on the western frontier of the Transvaal,
and had no desire to minimise them; but he
denied that these chiefs were of the peaceable
character described. In fact, disturbances had b.en
going on ever since we knew the country, in 1811. The
tribes were always contending against each other for the
mastery; otherwise the Boers would have had DO chance
against them. At the same time he admitted that the
chiefs had claims on the British Government, and the
Government had done much on their behalf, not
,I) merely by remonstrances, but by actual proposals
to send a police force to clear out the marauders.
These proposals, however, had been frustrated by the refusal
of the Orange Free State and the Traturvard Govern-
ment to join in them. lie only effectual mode of inter-
ferencee wax by sendtag an expe6litterimey, tarp!) of dap
wiebtit"thitt - menitt a continuous ' occupation, and
eventually annexation We had no elelieation to inter-
fere, and to yield to the natural impulses of humanity
would be unstateemanlike. Bat the Government hoped, he
said in oonclasion, to be able to devise a plan for providing
for these chiefs in safety and comfort, as we had provided
for other chiefs. .

On the motion of Mr. Forster, the debate was then ad-
journed.
Some other business was disposed of, and the liouse ad-
journed at a quarter to one o'clock.