Lord Bletchford, better known as Sir F. Rogers, and permanent
head of the Colonial Office for eleven years, on Friday week raised the question of the policy pursued in Natal. He would have pre- ferred direct government by the Crown to government by an Assembly in which nominees sat, but were not a majority, and observed that the Crown had reserved power to modify the Charter. Lord Carnarvon in a very spirited speech admitted his power, but stated that he preferred not to use it until the new Legislature had failed. He thought it might succeed under the " very able ad- ministrator " now managing the Colony, and could not consider the changes effected small. Already the Langalibalele difficulty had been settled, the Putini tribe—harried under a blunder— compensated with £20,000 worth of cattle and implements, and farmers encouraged to locate themselves between the native tribes. More military precautions might still be necessary, but the Government might still prove an efficient working machine. What was now required was a lull iu political bitterness and energetic support of the new Constitution.
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