The crop of scandals in 1897 was as the rolling snowball.  It is unnecessary to refer to them all in detail.  The Union Ground, one of the public squares of Johannesburg, was granted to a syndicate of private individuals upon such terms that they were enabled to sell the right, or portion of it, at once for L25,000 in cash.  The Minister of Mines, in his official capacity, strongly recommended the transaction, and was afterwards obliged to admit that he himself had an interest in it.  The Volksraad however refused to confirm it, and the purchaser of the concession fell back upon the President for protection.  The latter advised him to remain quiet until the presidential election, which was about to take place, should be over, and gave the assurance that then he would see that the grant was confirmed by the Raad.  In the session of 1898 his Honour strongly supported the proposal and it was duly carried.

The Eloff location scandal was another which greatly disturbed even the Volksraad.  Mr. Frickie Eloff is President Kruger’s son-in-law and enjoys the unsavoury reputation of being interested in every swindle which is worth being in the Transvaal.  A piece of ground lying to the north-west of Johannesburg close up to the town had originally been proclaimed as a goldfield, but no reefs having been found there and the ground not having been pegged, it was afterwards withdrawn from proclamation.  The Mining Commissioner of Johannesburg in the course of his duties discovered some flaw in the second or withdrawing proclamation.  He advised the head office in Pretoria of this discovery and stated that it might be contended that the de-proclamation was invalid, and that great loss and inconvenience would follow if the ground were pegged and the title upheld.  Within twenty-four hours the ground was pegged by Mr. Eloff, but it is not known whence he derived the inspiration.  His claim was strongly opposed by the local officials.  They reported that the ground was known to be of no value, and advised that as the cost of licenses would be very considerable the obvious policy of the Government would be—­if the title could not be upset—­to wait until Mr. Eloff should tire of paying licenses on valueless ground.  The Government, however, decided otherwise:  they converted Mr. Eloff’s claims into residential stands; that is to say, they made him a present of an immensely valuable piece of property and gave him title under which he could cut it up into small plots and readily sell it.  This action of the Government, however, required confirmation by the Raad.  The matter came before the Volksraad in due course and that body deliberately revoked the decision of the Government and refused Mr. Eloff any title except what he could claim according to law.  But Mr. Kruger is not so easily beaten.  He soon discovered that the piece of ground acquired by Mr. Eloff was exactly the piece which it was necessary for the Government to have for a coolie location, and without more ado the Government bought it from Mr. Eloff for L25,000.