The news from the Cape is not very intelligible, but
apparently the Premier of Cape Colony, Mr. Molteno, has adroitly availed himself of the feeling that Mr. Froude, in making speeches against the Parliamentary Ministry, had acted unconstitutionally. That is true, so far as Mr. Froude attacked the local government qua government, but untrue so far as he supported the Inter- colonial Conference, which is an Imperial, and not a local question. The proposal for a Conference was therefore re- jected by the Lower House of Cape Town, though accepted by the Council, and Mr. Molteno's Ministry is saved till the disso- lution ; but it would seem from a subsequent resolution that the Conference is to go on after all, but to be held in England, the details of Federation, when an agreement has been arrived at, being settled by Parliament. At least this is our interpretation of an account as yet very obscure.
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