SOUTH-WEST AFRICA TO ENTER UNION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 142, 17 June 1936, Page 7

SOUTH-WEST AFRICA TO ENTER UNION.

FIFTH PROVINCE. Action Caused by Intensive Nazi-ism. BITTER RACIAL FEELING. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 12.30 p.m.) CAPETOWN, June 16. South Africa proposes to administer South-West Africa as an integral portion of the Union by taking action under the League Covenant. The Union's recent judicial commission emphasised that no limit was placed on such administration so long as the mandatory nation furnished an annual report to the League. The Union decided to institute selfgovernment in 1923, as the administration started so hopefully, when General Smuts concluded an agreement in London with two representatives of the German Government, whereby the Union legislated for German nationals, who automatically accepted naturalisation in January, 1924. The German language was recognised as the official one. Germans obtained a majority in the first elected Assembly, leading to a close compact between British and Afrikanders. Racial animosities developed, becoming acute in 1933 on the formation of Nazi organisations and the Hitler Youth Movement among school children. Registration of sons of Germans, who were automatically naturalised, for military training in the Fatherland and Labour services indicates the extent of racial feelings, although the German Consul attempted to explain that this was unwittingly done.

Germans resigned from the Legislative Assembly and refused to serve 011 the Administrative Council, resulting in the Assembly's petitioning the Union to take South-West Africa as a fifth province. Article 22 of the League Covenant states: —There are territories, such as Soutli-West Africa, and certain of the South Pacific Islands, which, owing to the sparseness of their population, or their small size, or their remoteness from the centres of civilisation, or their geographical contiguity to the territory of the Mandatory, nnd other circumstances, can be best administered under tile laws of the Mandatory as integral portions of its territory, subject to the safeguards ... in •the interests of the indigenous population. POPULATION INCREASE. SOUTH AFRICAN UNION. (Received 11 a.m.) PRETORIA, June 10. The census reveals that the total population of the South African Union is 9,479,985, an increase of 2,551,405 since 1021. Europeans litfmber 1,079,390, an increase of 459,902.