local minorities, his Majesty’s Government have decided that single-member constituencies, or man against man, shall be the rule in the Transvaal.  But I should add that the subdivision of these electoral districts into their respective constituencies will not proceed upon hard mathematical lines, but that they will be grouped together in accordance with the existing field cornetcies of which they are composed, as that will involve as little change as possible in the ideas of the rural population and in the existing boundaries.

The Committee will realise that this is a question with an elusive climax.  It is like going up a mountain.  Each successive peak appears in turn the summit, and yet there is always another pinnacle beyond.  We have now settled that the Members are to be allotted to single-member constituencies based on the old magisterial districts according to the adult male residents there.  But how are we to apply that principle?  How are we to find out how many adult males there are in each of the districts of the country, and so to find the quota of electors or proper number of Members for each division?  The proverbial three alternatives present themselves.  We might take the Lyttelton voters’ list revised and supplemented.  We might make a new voters’ list, or we might take the census of 1904.

* * * * *

Lord Selborne has pointed out to us that it might take just as long a time to revise the Lyttelton voters’ list as to make a new voters’ list, which would occupy seven months.  So that, with the necessary interval for the arrangements for election, ten months would elapse before the Transvaal would be able to possess responsible institutions.  I think we shall have the assent of all South African parties in our desire to avoid that delay.  I am sorry that so much delay has already taken place.  It was necessary that the Cabinet should secure complete information.  But to keep a country seething on the verge of an exciting general election is very prejudicial to trade.  It increases agitation and impedes the healthy process of development.  We are bound to terminate the uncertainty at the earliest possible moment; and we have therefore determined to adopt the census of 1904.

Let me ask the Committee now to examine the sixteen magisterial districts.  I think it is necessary to do so before allocating the Members amongst them.  In all the discussions in South Africa these have been divided into three areas—­the Witwatersrand, Pretoria, and the “Rest of the Transvaal.”  Pretoria is the metropolis of the Transvaal.  It has a very independent public opinion of its own; it is strongly British, and it is rapidly increasing.  It is believed that Pretoria will return three, four, or five Members of the Responsible Party, which is the moderate British Party, and is independent of and detached from the Progressive Association.  The “Rest of the Transvaal” consists of the old constituencies who sent Boer Members to the old Legislature.  There will, however, be one or two seats which may be won by Progressive or Responsible British candidates, but in general “The rest of the country” will return a compact body of members of Het Volk.