on the boundaries where there
were many Kaffirs, the landed proprietors and their sons could retain
their arms under a licence, and that if there was a laying down of
arms, he would send persons immediately to return the arms to these
landed proprietors under a licence.

General DE LA REY: On this point I spoke out freely to Lord Kitchener.
I said that I would never agree that burghers in the frontier
districts should be entirely disarmed, and thus made lower than the
Kaffirs. Lord Kitchener then said that he would take the arms from
landed proprietors with one hand and return them immediately with the
other.

Mr. BIRKENSTOCK: Clause 2 says: "The prisoners of war will gradually
be brought back to their homes." Has a time been fixed, or will it be
done in the course of years? I have heard that the British have an
objection to sending back 30,000 persons.

General SMUTS: The Committee tried to get a time fixed within which
all prisoners of war must be brought back, but the British had a great
objection to binding themselves, because it would depend upon the
number of transport ships they would be able to obtain to convey the
30,000 prisoners of war back, and also because it would not be
advisable on account of the scarcity of food in the two Republics to
bring back so many people at once.

The meeting then adjourned till two o'clock in the afternoon, when the
proceedings were resumed.

Mr. L. JACOBSZ: Does Clause 2 provide for the return of the deputation
and other persons in Europe?

General SMUTS: The members of our deputation and other burghers in
Europe, if they wish to return, also fall under this Clause.

Mr. BIRKENSTOCK: What property is referred to in Clause 3?

General SMUTS: The word "property" includes every form of property.

Commandant VAN NIEKERK (Kroonstad): What course will be pursued with
reference to the farms which have been sold?

Mr. J. L. GROBLER (Carolina): How many farms have been sold?

General SMUTS: Twenty farms, as stated unofficially.

Mr. J. L. GROBLER: Where?

General SMUTS: In the Orange Free State.

General HERTZOG: The Commission spoke informally to Lord Milner about
the farms which have already been sold or confiscated by the British.
He replied that they could not be returned to the former owners, but
that the purchase-price would be refunded to them. About twenty farms
had been thus sold, all situate in the Orange Free State.

Landdrost STOFBERG: Does Clause 5 si