se is the strongest which Her Majesty's Government has been able to
quote against the administration of Justice in this Republic affords the
strongest and most eloquent proof possible that, taking it in general,
the administration of Justice on the gold fields of this Republic not
only compares favourably with that on other and similar gold fields, but
even with that of old and settled countries.

"The untrue representations of this occurrence in the Press prove
conclusively that the newspapers of the Witwatersrand, the
atrocity-mongering tactics of which constitute a share of the organised
campaign against the Republic and its Government, have been compelled to
resort to mendacious criticisms on imaginary instances of
maladministration, which were often simply invented. Where the Press is
forced to adopt such methods, the true grievances must of necessity be
unreal."

[Sidenote: _c._ The Amphitheatre occurence.]

I now give Mr. Chamberlain's accusations about The the Amphitheatre
occurrence:--[47] "Some light upon the extent to which the police can be
trusted to perform their delicate duties with fairness and discretion is
thrown by the events referred to by the petitioners, which took place at
a meeting called by British subjects for the purpose of discussing their
grievances, and held on the 14th of January in the Amphitheatre of
Johannesburg. The Government were previously apprised of the objects of
the meeting, and their assent obtained, though this was not legally
necessary for a meeting in an inclosed place. The organisers of the
meeting state that they were informed by the State Secretary and the
State Attorney that anyone who committed acts of violence or used
seditious language would be held responsible, and in proof of the
peaceful objects of the meeting, those who attended went entirely
unarmed, by which it is understood that they did not even carry sticks.
So little was any disturbance apprehended that ladies were invited to
attend, and did attend. Yet, in the result, sworn affidavits of
witnesses of different nationalities agree in the statement that the
meeting was broken up almost immediately after its opening, and many of
the persons attending it were violently assaulted by organised bands of
hostile demonstrators, acting under the instigation and guidance of
persons in Government employ, without any attempt at interference on the
part of the police, and even in some cases with their assistance or
lo