268 SOUTH AFRICA. 



to revision or annulment at the hands of the 

 Executive whenever it may appear desirable to 

 the wirepullers, who are quite up to the ways and 

 means of securing a majority in the Raad sufficient 

 to pass any law dictated by its despot This has 

 always been the aim of Oom Paul Kruger, who 

 about ten years ago exercised this species of 

 dispensing power without even the pretence of 

 having it legalised, in the case of one Nelmapius, 

 a Hollander, and protege of his, who had been 

 sentenced by the High Court to imprisonment for 

 embezzlement of public funds. In this case the 

 President personally went to the gaol and released 

 the prisoner without vouchsafing any explanation. 

 The then Chief Justice resigned as a matter of 

 course, and although a little flutter of excitement 

 occurred, and a few adverse comments on the sub- 

 ject appeared in the local Press, Kruger triumphed, 

 and Nelmapius shortly afterwards died a free man 

 in the country whose criminal laws he had been 

 found guilty of outraging. In the case now 

 pending the Chief Justice Kotze has been dis- 

 missed summarily for attempting opposition to 

 the Krugerian will. Mr. Kotze, who is respected 

 for his acknowledged legal abilities and for his 



