SOUTH-WEST AFRICA

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 113, 6 February 1937, Page 18

SOUTH-WEST AFRICA

Union Government States Policy The Union Government, in a communique issued recently, assured the people of South-West Africa—formerly German territory—that it had little thought of abandoning the mandate as of abandoning its own territory. . Further, it was not prepared to consider the possibility of a transfer of the mandate to another Power. Nevertheless, the Government felt that there were insufficient grounds for administering the territory as a fifth province of the Union. The Union is now composed of the provinces of Cape Colony, Natal, Orange Free State and the Transvaal.’ The Government regretted that the question of the future of the territory was poisoning relations between the two main elements of the white population because the present mandate was not judged on its merits, but as a means of promoting the divergent ideals of different sections of the population. Hence there was need to clarify definitely the relations between the Union and South-West Africa. The Government regretted also, that a considerable portion of the German section of the population was grouped behind a separate political organisation which was used as a means of maintaining a state of affairs favourable to the return of the territory to Germany.

The rights of free speecli had almost ceased to exist among the German population, the leader of the Deutsche Bund—German Union—being actually an alien owing unconditional obedience to the head of a foreign State The Government had decided to make it impossible for aliens to become members of political organisations. It was determined to protect Union nationals against unlawful pressure or compulsion in the exercise of their public and private rights, and the legislation necessary to provide this protection was to be passed.

It was further stated by the Government that it did not. recognise the validity of the claim to double nationality within the territorv.