considered, not only here, but
also in England; and you may be quite sure that your interests will
receive, in every way, full consideration."

General De la Rey: "I think that the matter has been sufficiently
discussed in the presence of your Excellencies, and that it need not be
placed in the draft contract, for by so doing one might stumble on legal
questions."

Commander-in-Chief de Wet: "This is my point of view: There are two
parties, and one of them is about to cease to exist. It is, therefore,
natural that this party cannot allow a vital question to pass unnoticed.
It is for this reason that I cannot agree that this matter should be
omitted from the draft contract. It will not be necessary that the
military Government which now exists should continue after the war."

Lord Kitchener: "But the question will have to be settled by the Civil
Government. It is a matter for lawyers, and must be laid before them,
and will require much consideration."

Commandant-General Botha: "When hostilities are concluded it will be
possible to summon a burgher for a debt contracted before the war. I put
this request because our law states that no burgher can be summoned till
sixty days have elapsed since the conclusion of peace."

Lord Kitchener: "You may entirely rely upon this, that whenever the war
is over each burgher will have the absolute right to obtain
consideration for his position in every way, and that his interests will
be protected under the new as under the old regime."

Commandant-General Botha: "I understand that perfectly. But the
possibility exists that syndicates may be formed to buy up all the
debts, and the people may be ruined before a single burgher is in the
position to earn anything or to have his position restored."

Lord Kitchener: "I quite agree with what the Commandant-General has
said, and he is quite right to bring the question up. Yet I do not think
that the draft contract is the best place in which to bring it forward.
Once peace is a fact, then it will be the duty of every one to draw the
attention of the Government to what is required to aid the nation; but
to bring up difficulties at the present moment, and to attempt to right
them, seems to be an endless task, and one for which this document was
not destined."

Commander-in-Chief de Wet: "I am of opinion that this is a matter which
should be settled by a proclamation; but I want to have as many weapons
as possible in my hands when I retu