Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/375

 1899.] Africa. — Cape Colony. — Taxes. [367

II. SOUTH AFRICA.

Cape Colony. — After the decisions following the various election petitions, and the election of the additional members provided for under the Redistribution Act, creating sixteen new seats and increasing the number of members of the House to ninety-five, there had been elected at the end of April fifty Bond members against forty-one Progressives. The final elections in May and June gave the Progressives two or three more seats. The Bond party were enthusiastic at their success. Mr. Solomon, the Attorney General, was returned for Tembu- land by 811 votes against 749 votes given for Sir Gordon Sprigg. Election petitions against Mr. Bhodes and Mr. Hill and Mr. Saner were dismissed in January. Sir J. Sivewright was unseated for Stellenbosch, but not personally disqualified.

Mr. Hofmeyr made a speech at Caledon on February 24, affirming the loyalty of the Afrikanders, but declaring their dislike to the domineering of millionaires over the colony. He thought the immediate future as critical as the late past.

Sir A. Milner, the High Commissioner, went to Bloem- fontein on May 31 to hold a conference with President Kruger.

A great citizens' meeting was held in Cape Town on June 28, which passed resolutions supporting Sir A. Milner's policy.

The Cape Parliament was opened on July 14 and Sir A. Milner's speech, though making no allusion to the Transvaal crisis, was received with cheers.

A great meeting was held in Cape Town (July 18) to welcome Mr. Rhodes from England. Some 4,000 people were present in the crowded hall, and received him with prolonged cheering. In his speech he said that the German Emperor had met him in the fairest way, that the days of Little Englandism were past, and that Englishmen and Dutchmen would soon unite upon the pro- position that South Africa was not big enough for them.

In the Cape Assembly (July 31) the Rhodesia Customs Bill was read a second time, after a protest by Mr. Rhodes against giving benefits to the Transvaal when there was no reciprocity.

Mr. Merriman, in his Budget speech on August 1, said that the reduction of duties under the Customs Convention had re- sulted in a decrease of 501,000/. in the revenue. He estimated the expenditure at 6,878,000/., and the revenue at 6,544,000/. He proposed an income tax of Is. in the pound, with exemption on incomes up to 300/. Farmers were to pay a land tax of \d. in the pound on the value of their farms instead of income tax, with exemption up to 1,200/. In moving the second reading of the Income and Land Taxes Bill (Aug. 14) Mr. Merriman modified his proposals, making the income tax 6d. in the pound on incomes under 1,000/., and Is. in the pound on incomes beyond 1,000/. The limit of exemption from land tax was to be 800/. rather than 1,200/.

Much public indignation was aroused in August at the