Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-15
Leaders Will Discuss Fedora
ton or Unification.
STATUS OF SOUTH AFRICA
Commission Named to Investigate
Sleeping Sickness
TRANSvAAL CIVIL SERVICE
Further Reductions Appear to Be
acknowledgements Econ
omies in Many Directions.
Special Csblcgram 20 The Star

Special Csblcgram The Star.
CAPE TOWN. October ia confer
ence is TO be held in Durham October II
to decide whether South Africa is to he
federated unified or TO remain a. dis
jeeta membra. AT present. The Dutch
leaders in the Transvaal and the Cape
are all agreed in favor OF complete uni
fication with a federal parliament. which
shall exercise undisputed control over
all the colonies; but Natal is not so eager
to he swallowed up. and would prefer
federation. under which it would still
have a separate parliament for local af-
fairs
Still. the resolution favorable to unifica-
ton will no doubt be carried, but whether
1t will be put into force is another mat
ter. If II is IL will be signal testimony
to the moderation and fairness of the
Boer governments. for the English mi
nority would not agree unless 1t were
certain OF something more than impartial
fair treatment.
To Study Sleeping Sickness.
All preparations have been completed
for the new commission under Col. sir
David Bruce. which has been dispatched
to Africa by the government under the
direction Of the Royal Society to investi-
gate sleeping sickness. Sir David Bruce,
who is in charge Of the commission. will
have with him Capt A. E. Hamerton and
Capt. II. r. Bateman. while Sergt A
Gibbons. who was with Col Bruce on a
previous mission to Uganda, and Ar.
James Wilson will also be members OF
the party. Lady Bruce. who has accom-
panied her husband on similar missions
in Uganda. Zululand and Malta. is a
member of the new commission. and will
take an active part in the Investigations.
On arriving at Mombasa, the commits
sion will travel by the Uganda railway
to the terminus at Port Florence. whence
the lake will be crossed to Kampala.
The headquarters of the work will be Sc
lected two miles from the lake shore in
wild and depopulated region In the
province OF Chagwe. Here the Uganda
tory and station for the purposes of the
mission. 1t is expected that the work
will occupy about nine months.
Reductions in Civil Service.
Further reductions appear to be con-
templated in the Transvaal civil service.
A departmental committee has been Sap
pointed to inquire into and report upon
the status in relation to the ofiicials OF
the magistrates staff. which shall be
given to those members of the revenue
department who have now been absorbed
into the magisterial establishment the
relative grades In which the various MEM
bers Of the combined stan shall be placed
and the salary OF each individual within
seniority of the combined stan: and the
officers Of the combined staff who should
be selected for retirement in the event OF
the amalgamation enabling a reduction to
be effected.
Magistrates have been directed to for
ward particulars Of present sta1s, with
rank. salaries 'and duties of each ofiicer
and considerable apprehension exists In
ments who had, subsequent to the retire.
ment of Mr.. Marris. the civil service COM
missioner. imagined that they had sur
vived the wave of retrenchment which
departments of the Transvaal public
service.
Economies in Many Directions.
In the Cape legislature recently econo-
mics have been suggested in many direc-
lions. and ii has even been proposed that
members Of parliament should consent to
a reduction i'm their allowances. Natur-
ally, the proposal has not been received
with enthusiasm by the occupants OF the
back benches. In theory the allowance
Of 50 per day made to country members
is supposed not to be in the nature of q
payment for services. but simply for the
purpose Of enabling them to defray their
living and other expenses incidental to
their parliamentary duties.
The correspondent OF a Dutch magazine
published in Cape Town has been con-
Quoting an inquiry as to the amount
which members Of the legislature actually
spend on board and lodgings. AS result
of these investigations he has ascertained
that very few of them pay more than
s1.37 per day, several pay SLIP. and one
of them pays a. cents day 1T is thus
obvious that these unsefish patriots. who
assist i'll every scheme of ,retrenchment.
put into their own pockets from the treas
ury chest a matter of $50 a day for a
period of ninety days. Under Mr.. Merri-
mans scheme. imposing a reduction of =
per cent on all persons drawing govern
ment pay. the utmost members OF the leg
islature viii be called upon To surrender
is S:s31J per head annually. This. IL *
sarcastically added. is the limit of the
sacrifice which these patriotic lawgivers
economy.
Province in Bad Way.
The Portuguese province OF Mozambique
seems to be in a bad way. A very de-
spondent view OF the future is taken by
Laurence Marques journal. which states
that commerce has suffered a serious set
back and that there is an almost COM
plete cessation in the establishment OF
continues, many old firms have disap-
peared and those remaining are curtail-
ing their operations.
Il is difficult to point to a single -four
ishing industry. Fishing exploration has
failed and even a small tobacco factory.
in a district where native leaf is easily
procurable and the consumption Of cigar
cites is enormous. has fallen into the
hands of the bondholders. who have not
sufficient faith in the outlook to keep the
works going. Cold storage depots have
been taxed out of existence. Two hotels
are closed down; many OF the large
buildings are untenanted. while others do
not draw sufficient revenue TO pay inter-
est charges. There is. in fact. no induce
ment to build either business or domestic
premises. The banks are gradually add
ing to their holdings of unstable real es-
tate. rents have fallen. bonded stores.
which formerly brought in good incomes.
are now either vacant or are let at
fifth of their former rentals.
For this unfortunate state of affairs the
government Is held TO he in some measure
responsible. 1T has suited Portugal 10
surround the investment of foreign cap
ital with many restrictions. us IL every
imported bank note carried the germs OF
treach ery, revolution and the downfall OF
he coupfry'S prestige ANY industrial