SURPRISE IN BRITAIN

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 140, 15 June 1936, Page 9

SURPRISE IN BRITAIN

STATEMENT BY HERTZOGr

CONTROL OF PROTECTORATES LONDON, June 13. The "Morning Post's" political correspondent says that Government circles are surprised by an announcement by General Hertzog, Prime Minister of South Africa, that the Union would probably take over the administration of Swaziland in two years' time and of Basutoland and Bechuanaland soon after.

It was emphatically pointed out that there was no warrant for any such assumption, as the two principal conditions of transfer laid down in the South Africa Act still remain to be fulfilled—namely that transfer shall occur only with the consent of the native populations of the protectorates and with the consent of Parliament.

The Swaziland protectorate, in the south-eastern comer of the Transvaal, has been under the authority of the High Commissioner for South Africa since 1906. the seat of administration being Mbabane. •

Basutoland has been under the authority of the Crown since 1884, and is governed by a Resident Commissioner under the direction of the High Commissioner for South Africa, who possesses the legislative authority, which is exercised by proclamation.

The Bechuanaland territory was declared to be within the British sphere in 1885, and four years later was included in the sphere of the British South Africa Company, but was never administered by the company. In 1890 a Resident Commissioner was appointed, and in 1895, on the annexation of the Crown Colony of British Bechuanaland to the Cape of Good Hope, new arrangements were made for the administration of the protectorate, and special agreements were made in view of the extension from Mafeking. Each of the chiefs rules his own 1 people as formerly, under the protection of the King, who is represented by a Resident. Commissioner acting under the High Commissioner.