South-West Africa is Portion of the Union

Northern Advocate, 21 April 1939, Page 7

South-West Africa is Portion of the Union

(Received 2.30 p.m.) CAPETOWN, April 20. During the second reading, in the Union Assembly, of a bill to incorpor- j ate the South West African Police in j the Union Police Force, the Prime Minister, General Hcrtzog. said: “We would floe from South-West Africa as soon as from the Union. We protect the territory as our own. Nationals in the south urged the measure, which can bo regarded as the Union’s gift to the good government of the south west.’’ Dr. D. F. Malan, Leader of the Opposition, moving that the bill be j read in six months’ time, said the amalgamation was contrary to the , Union's policy of increasing the territory's self-government. It was a far- , reaching constitutional change at the worst possible time. The Government could have dealt with the situation i without revoking existing rights. ! An additional 200 police due to leave for south west of Africa to-morrow 1 are being disbanded. It is considered

-GENERAL HERTZOG

that those who have already arrived are sufficient.

An earlier message stated

The Deputy Prime Minister, General Smuts, in introducing a bill to incorporate the police of South-West Africa in the Union police force, said the despatch of policemen to SouthWest Africa was purely the result of information which indicated the possibility of a serious breach of the law, which should be forestalled. Dr. D. F. Malan, Leader of the Opposition, said the Government’s action suggested the incorporation of South-West Africa .as a province. This would have the gravest international repercussions.

The bill was read a first time by 82 votes to 20.

“The Times” correspondent at Windhoek, South-West Africa, says fears of a disturbance on Herr Hitler’s birthday are receding following an instruction to the leader of the German community that Germans should be put on their best behaviour.