SOUTH AFRICAN UNION

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14916, 11 February 1909, Page 7

SOUTH AFRICAN UNION

THE DRAFT CONSTITUTION. United Press Association—By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright. (Received February 10, 10.55 p.m.) CAPE TOWN, February 10. The draft constitution of the South African Federation, which hereafter will be called the Union, consists of a Governor-General with a salary of £10,000; an Executive Council ctnpowered to nominate eight senators; a Senate to consist of forty members, each province electing eight, the present colonial Parliaments choosing them in the first instance and provincial councils subsequently; a House of Assembly, comprising fifty-one members for the Cape, seventeen lor Natal, seventeen for the Orange River Colony and thirty-six for the Transvaal, all members to be of European descent; federal constituencies to bo delimited on the basis of European adult male population; quinquennial redistribution; the principle of proportional representation ; single transferable vote; the English and Dutch languages to have equal privileges; each/province to be administered by an administrator nominated by tho Governor-General; executive committee and provincial councils with, carefully delimited powers; a Federal Court of Appeal to be established, with power of appeal to the Privy Council. The Union assumes all assets and debts, and takes over tho Civil Servants, and as compensation for acquiescence in the dual capital compromise pays Maritzburg and Bloemfontein two per centum of their municipal debts for twenty-five years. On the other hand, if it is found necessary, Cape Town and Pretoria will be allowed ono per centum of the municipal debts. Railways and ports are to he vested in three commissioners and a Cabinet Alinister, with a view to promote the settlement of agricultural and industrial populations. The interests of the native populations are carefully safeguarded, and tho sale of liquor to them is prohibited.