A general election took place towards the end of 1906, when Mr. Smythe's Ministry, finding itself without a sufficient working majority, resigned in November. The Right Hon. Sir Frederick R. Moor, P.C., K.C.M.G., was then called on to form a ministry. This he did, the portfolio of Premier and Minister for Native Affairs being taken by himself.
In connection with many of the courts-martial referred to in the preceding chapter, a considerable amount of evidence was led more or less implicating Dinuzulu in the Rebellion. Moreover, a Native who had visited Usutu kraal on private business in January, 1907, reported having seen being harboured there twenty-eight rebels he knew by name and some hundred or more others. The men, it was averred, had been formed into three companies and called the Mbambangwe (leopard-catcher) regiment, because, for the most part, they consisted of those who had almost annihilated a small portion of Royston's Horse at Manzipambana.[311] In these circumstances, the Government arrived at a decision in August to hold an inquiry into Dinuzulu's conduct. Although action followed, it was soon suspended in favour of the Chief himself paying the Governor a visit. The making of such visit arose out of a conversation Sir Charles Saunders had with Dinuzulu (then at Nongoma) over the telephone. The latter had wished to 'unburden his heart.' After doing this as well as he could through the telephone, he asked that what he had said might be transmitted to the Government. This, the Commissioner replied, it was obviously impossible to do, although he promised to forward a summary, and suggested Dinuzulu's paying the Governor a visit and setting forth at a tête-a-tête all he wished to say. As, by this time, the Imperial Government wanted Sir Henry McCallum to assume the Governorship of Ceylon at an early date, suggestions were made to Dinuzulu that he should proceed to Pietermaritzburg for the purpose of unburdening himself, and, at the same time, bidding His Excellency good-bye. After some delay in arranging preliminaries, he proceeded to the railhead at Somkele. At various stopping-places on the way to Pietermaritzburg, he was visited by Natives, who not only accorded him the highest royal salutes, but laid at his feet other tokens of devotion and humble allegiance. This triumphal progress continued until he had reached Pietermaritzburg. At this place, too, the Natives treated him in a manner that could not have been outdone by the most servile subjects of an eastern potentate.
On the 20th and 21st May, he was summoned to Government House, where he, with his indunas, Mankulumana and Mgwaqo, and others, had lengthy interviews with Sir Henry McCallum in the presence of the Minister for Native Affairs and other officials. After saying all that was on his mind, Dinuzulu was spoken to straightly in respect of his misbehaviour and offences, real and imaginary, so far as these were then known. He parried too searching inquiries with his usual dexterity, not unmingled with suppressio veri, but there were certain accusations which he was unable, even with the assistance of his counsellors, Mankulumana and Mgwaqo, to quite brush aside. For instance, his having received messengers from Chiefs in all parts of the country in connection with the poll tax and not reporting them to the local Magistrate, as required to do by standing instructions.
The Governor's object, however, was not to punish him for such misdeeds as had come to light, or to probe too deeply into others that rested merely on suspicion, but to show him that the Government was in possession of information which clearly proved misbehaviour on his part, and to afford friendly counsel as to his conduct in the future. Little did the Governor or the Government know that the man then being addressed and urged to make a clean breast of his grievances, as he had himself requested to do, had already committed several serious and unpardonable acts of high treason.
After another interview, this time with the Acting Prime Minister and other Ministers, the Chief returned to his kraal.
By this time, the Native Affairs Commission was touring in Zululand, holding meetings at most of the magistracies with Chiefs and followers, under conditions the most pleasing to the Natives. Zulus rejoiced at having that opportunity of laying their grievances before the official delegates. Not so Dinuzulu. And yet the Governor's words to him, through the interpreter, were that he would "have an opportunity of laying his views before the Commission. I ask him to do so, because I can assure him that any recommendations which that Commission may send in will receive the earnest consideration of the Government."[312]
When Dinuzulu got to Somkele by rail, the Commission happened to be there too. This Dinuzulu knew, and yet although compelled for some hours to be at the station, he was unable to leave his railway carriage and walk a hundred yards to tender evidence, general in character, which it was well within his power to give, and which, in the interests of the people one would think he would rejoice to have tendered.
By reason of the fact that interviews had taken place with Dinuzulu, the Governor decided to arrange others with the most influential of those Natal and Zululand Chiefs who had behaved loyally during the Insurrection. Some of these men controlled tribes as large or larger than that of Dinuzulu. It was, indeed, for that particular reason that no differentiation was shewn between him and them. The interviews, held on the 3rd and 4th June, helped materially to allay much of the nervousness then still prevalent among the people at large, and to restore the former amicable relations between them and the authorities.