PROTECTORATES IN AFRICA

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22142, 12 July 1937, Page 11

PROTECTORATES IN AFRICA

BRITISH REPLY TO GENERAL HERTZOG LONDON, July 9. The Secretary of State for the Dominions (Mr Malcolm Mac Donald), when replying to questions about the statement by the Prime Minister of South Africa (General J. B. M. Hertzog), said that there was no agreement to transfer native territories, the Bechuanaland, Swaziland, and Basutoland protectorates, to the Union of South Africa within a specified time. There had been some misunderstanding, said Mr Mac Donald. General Hertzog agreed last year that there was no understanding that the transfer of any of the territories should take place in any specified time. General Hertzog also agreed that any prediction of the time must necessarily be in the nature of conjecture. General Hertzog himself saw the instructions sent to officials in the territories in pursuance of the 1935 agreement, and there must therefore be a misunderstanding if General Hertzog now said that there had been failure on the part of the Home Government to carry out its undertaking. Mr Mac Donald said that he had explained to General Hertzog on the South African Prime Minister's recent visit to London that the situation had not altered. . The Government adhered to the 1935 agreement not to transfer the territories till the population had been consulted. "I hope that the matter can be solved by friendlv co-oper-ation between England and South Africa." he said.

As Dominions Secretary, he had then agreed to consider what further steps were now practicable, and there was an understanding that he and General Hertzog should communicate with each other. The British Government was determined to carry out the policy agreed on two years ago.

General Hertzog. in an interview on his return to South Africa, reproached the British Government for withholding the transfer of the native protectorates of Basutoland Bechuanalnnd. and Swaziland to the Union of South Africa. He alleged that Britain was playing with the question. He said he had a written assurance two years a<*o that the transfer might be possible in a few years. "I now learn that it will be a long time before the transfer is possible," he said.