SOUTHERN RHODESIA

Evening Star, Issue 18035, 1 August 1922, Page 4

SOUTHERN RHODESIA

PROPOSAL TO ENTER UNION.

TERMS EXPLAINED.

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright

GAPE TOWN, July 30. (Received August 1, at 10 a.m.)

In an explanatory statement of the provisional agreement between the Union Government and the Chartered Company, the Prime Minister States that the agreement provides for the taking over of all the Rhodesian railways and. sundry working agreements; also for acquiring 66,000,000 acres of unalicnn.tcd Grown lands, public buildings, telegraphs, uml telephones. The purchase price is £6,215,000, as from the end of March, 1922, with .interest at 5 per cent, to the end l of March, 1924, when it is expected that the conditions will he fulfilled. The agreement is provisional on RhodeJua entering tho Union not later than tho lastnamed date.—A. and N.Z. Cable.

CAPE TOWN, July 51.

(Received August 1, at 11.55 a.m.)

Tho terms submitted by the Union Government to Rhodesia for incorporation in the Union were published to-day. The main provisions are:

Rhodesia is to have ten members in the Assembly, this number to bo increased in accordance with tho population till it reaches seventeen, which is the same as the Natal Free Stale.

There shall he four elected Senators ana one nominated Senator, this number to be increased to eight elected Senators and two nominated Senators.

A provincial council is to bo established with twenty members, under an Administrator.

Measures are, to ho taken to secure administrative decentralisation, the Administrator to act as tho agent of the Union Government.

The ordinary provincial subsidy is to be supplemented by a special subsidy of £50,000 annually for ten years. Rhodesia is to pay the same taxes as tho Union, hut for a period of three years after incorporation there- shall he no alteration in the present income tax exemption.

The Union shall provide a special development grant of not less Ilian £500.000 yearly for ten years for railways, public works, irrigation, and land settlement. Language equtility is to bo established the same as in the Tenon, but the rights of members in the existing Public Service shall bo fully guaranteed. The Rhodesian and Bech.ua.nala.nd railways shall be incorporated in the Union fivstem, with the same tarill. ’ The port of Beira shall be further developed. ‘‘ The mineral rights of the Chartered Company shall be acquired a.s soon as circumstances permit. No organised recruiting for native labor for. the benefit of other provinces shall be permitted. The Union immigration- laws will apply to Rhodesia —A. and- N.Z. Cable.

[Tho region south of the Zambesi (Matnfbeleiandi and Mashonoland) is called Southern Rhodesia; that north of the Zambesi is called Northern Rhodesia. The negotiations in the cable refer to Southern Rhodesia. It has an area of 149,000 square miles. The European papulation in 1921 was about 53.500 and the native population 770,000. Thera were also about 3,000 Asiatics and other colored persona Salisbury is the capital. Tho company's Administrator is assisted by an Executive Council of three members appointed by tho company, with the approval of the Secretary of' State. There is also a Legislative Council of nineteen members, twelve of which are elected by registered voters. The others arc nominated by the company with the approval of the Secretary of State.]