NATIVE POLICY

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 45, 17 November 1925, Page 9

NATIVE POLICY

OF SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT

PROPOSED TRAINING IN SELFDETERMINATION

REPRESENTATION IN THE ASSEMBLY

General Hertzog, in outlining the South African Governmeat’s native policy, said the proposals were governed by the principle that the Natives must be trained in self-determina-tion. This would be done by the establishment *of Native Councils, and giving the right to Natives of the South African Union to elect seven Europeans to represent them in the House of Assembly.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Copyright. Capetown, November 15. The Prime Alinister, General Hertzog, in a speech at Smithfield, outlined the Government’s native policy. He declared it was clear that the othej provinces .could not permit the native franchise to be extended to them on the Cape basis, for a native to vote with the white man for the election of members of Parliament would mean the ruin of European civilisation within fifty years. According to expert judgment the enfranchised native votes at the Cape would outnumber the whites. Already the feeling . was growing in influential European circles in favour of extending the franchise to northern natives. General Hertzog then outlined the proposals which, he said, had the full support of his colleagues. These were governed by the principle that the natives must be trained in selfdetermination. This would be done by the establishment of native councils. It was further proposed to take away the Cape native franchise, in place of which the right would be given for the natives of the South African Union to elect seven Europeans to represent them in the Assembly, two each for the Cape, Natal, and the Transvaal, and one for the Orange Free State. These would be additional to the quota which the Constitution already provided. General Hertzog suggested an _ annual session of a Native Council of fifty, of which the smaller section would be selected by the Government and the larget bv the natives. Its duties would be of an advisory character, and would afford scope for the activities of the intellectual element among the natives. He foresaw opposition to the proposals, but he urged that the white population should not shrink from dealing with a great question. Thev dared not remain stationary any longer. He acknowledged that there could be no solution on party lines.—Reuter.

CRITICISMS OF THE POLICY EXTENSION OF FRANCHISE OPPOSED Capetown, November 15. The newspapers, commencing on General Hertzog’s native policy, say that it is very questionable if the Cape natives are prepared to surrender the existing full franchise- for the right to elect only two members to represent them in Parliament.

Such a change involves an amendment to the Constitution requiring a two-thirds majority of Parliament, and consequently acceptance by the Opposition Party, but the main' features of the policy have already been condemned bvtj the Transvaal Nationalist and Labour Parties. Mr. Tielmann Roos, leader of the former, recently declared that he would never consent in any circumstances to the extension of the existing rights of the coloured population. The situation promises interesting developments.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.