cHAP. 111] THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA 985
of public officers as Parliament may determine. Any officer
who is not retained in the public service as the result of the
Union shall receive the same treatment as he would have
been entitled to receive on abolition of office under the
Government of which he was a servant. Those who are
retained shall have all their existing and accruing rights
made good to them, and can retire on such pension and at
such age as they could have done under the law of the Colony
in which they originally served. The services of no officer
are to be dispensed with simply because he does not know
Dutch or English. Special provision is to be made by
Parliament if necessary for the permanent officers of the
Colonial Parliaments who may lose office because of the
Union.
The provisions are not at all ungenerous, and are evidently
designed to obviate the hostility to the Union of the great
body of public servants in South Africa. None the less, the
demands made upon the anxiety of public servants for the
best interests of the South African States is shown by the
fact that they will many of them undoubtedly lose their
posts by the operation of the amalgamation of the services
of the Colonies. It is true that many posts will still be
preserved, but it is equally certain that there must be a very
considerable total reduction, especially in the better-paid
offices. At the same time, the pensions payable on abolition
of office will be a small consolation to those for whom places
cannot be found in the new administrations.
§ 7. FinaxciaL Provisions
The financial clauses! are of considerable importance and
are somewhat lengthy. All revenues, from whatever sources,
over which the Colonies have at the time of union power of
appropriation shall vest in the Governor-General in Council.
There shall be formed a Railway and Harbour Fund into
which shall be paid all revenues from the administration of
railways, ports, and harbours, and such fund is to be appro-
priated by Parliament for the purposes of the railways, ports,
bss, 117-33. See also Audit Act, 1911.
