Lord Milner: "Yes, naturally; if we put anything down in writing. I am
convinced that it is necessary to make it quite clear that this document
must contain everything about which there is anything in the form of a
pledge."

Lord Kitchener: "There is, then, a pledge that the point upon which you
have touched will be considered in your interests."

General Smuts: "There still remains the question of the payment of
receipts."

Lord Kitchener: "That will be placed before the Government. The sum is
an essential point; I believe the amount to be considerable. I should
now like to know that it is understood that we are agreed about all
these draft proposals, including your amendments, and that there are no
further questions to be brought forward--it is necessary to know this,
as they would have to be telegraphed to England."

Commander-in-Chief de Wet: "We have no further points to raise."

Lord Milner: "The telegram that I shall despatch is as follows:

'The Commission is prepared to lay before their burgher meeting the
following document (in the event of it being sanctioned by His
Majesty's Government), and to ask of the meeting a "Yes" or "No."'

"Is that satisfactory?"

Commander-in-Chief de Wet: "Yes, naturally. Only I cannot say that this
document has my approval. Yet I shall be content to abide by the
decision of the delegates."

Judge Hertzog: "I should not like to think that we are bound to use our
influence with the delegates."

Lord Milner: "I think that is understood. I understand that the members
of the Commission are not bound in respect of the opinions they may
express before the burghers. They are only bound, if the British
Government approves of the document, to lay it before the people. I
propose to send the following telegram:

'The Commission is prepared to lay the following document before
the burgher meeting at Vereeniging, for a "Yes" or "No" vote, in
the event of His Majesty's Government approving of it.'

"I want also to state that we have completely deviated from the
Middelburg proposal. I believe everyone is fully aware that the
Middelburg proposal has been annulled altogether. Should an agreement be
arranged in conformity with this document, and signed, then no attempt
must be made to explain the document, or its terms, by anything in the
Middelburg proposal."

The meeting was now adjourned.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 28TH, 1902.

The Commission met Lord K