Page:George McCall Theal, History of South Africa from 1873 to 1884, Volume 1 (1919).djvu/160

 140 History of the Cape Colony. ['^79 over which in September 1878 Captain Matthew Blyth, formerly P^ingo agent and recently chief magistrate of part of Griqualand East, was placed, with the title of chief magistrate of the Transkei. The formal annexation of the districts of Kentani and Willowvale to the Cape Colony was considered advisable, in order that the system of government might be made legally miiform throughout the chief magistracy. In the session of parliament in 1878 a resolution proposed by the secretary for native affairs was agreed to "that in the opinion of this house it is expedient that Galekaland should be annexed to this colony, and that the govern- ment take such steps as may place it in a position to introduce a bill to effect such annexation." On the 9th of January 1879 Sir Bartle Frere, in a despatch to the secretary of state, forwarded this resolu- tion, and on behalf of the colonial ministry requested that her Majesty's government would sanction the an- nexation. At that time the imperial government was anxious to bring about a confederation of the South African colonies and states, similar to that of the Canadian Dominion. Sir Michael Hicks Beach therefore replied that he was disposed to think the present hardly a convenient time for taking any steps for determining the future position of Galekaland, and that it would seem preferable to wait until the general principles of confederation could be settled by a conference of colonial delegates. On the 19th of May Sir Bartle Frere wrote again, strongly recommending that the request of the Cape parliament should be complied with, so as to en- able legislation to proceed in the coming session. The secretary of state answered that he could not do so, as her Majesty's government was very anxious that all questions connected with the territories adjacent to the Cape Colony, and not as yet actually incorporated with it, should be considered in connection with the delimit- ation of the provinces of the proposed union.