December 3, 1938.
An urgent plea for South African unity was made by General Smuts in a speech at Winburg Orange Free State, in which he exhorted the nation not to break away from the Commonwealth.
“We don’t want to be an Ireland,” he said. “Where stands Ireland today? It is a land torn to its very foundations. No, we are not going to follow Ireland’s precedent. We are going to keep our course to build a stronger unified South Africa on the foundations that have been laid.”
General Smuts went on to urge that English and Afrikaans people should take a firm resolve to fight as never before for a greater and secure South Africa. The Voortrekkers’ struggle against Britain and the Kaffirs was finished, and Britain was without reservation South Africa’s best friend.
The Kaffir wars were past too. But there were people who could not understand what had happened in the last 100 years. They wished to carry on the old struggle. They still spoke of Imperialism - of which he was supposed to be the arch-supporter - and of the Kaffir as a serious danger to the Afrikander. These people did not realise that the old fight had been decided. The new struggle was on - for a new United Fourth African nation - secure for generations to come.
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At St Patrick’s Church, Stradbally, an interesting marriage was solemnised between Joseph Cole, 76-year-old member of Kilkenny Corporation, and Hilda Anne Pattison, widow of William Pattison.
The bridegroom, who is a widower, is a retired member of the Royal Irish Constabulary.
The couple were lovers 45 years ago, and recently the friendship was renewed, resulting in matrimony.