AFRICAN RACE PROBLEM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19419, 30 August 1926, Page 12

AFRICAN RACE PROBLEM.

THE POSITION !N RHOtJESI A. PARTIAL SEGREGATION URGED. Questions of African policy, and particularly the relations of the black and white races, were discussed by Sir John Chancellor, the Governor of Southern Rhodesia, and Sir Charles Coghlan, the. first Premier of Southern Rhodesia, when* they were entertained at luncheon in London recently by the African Society. Earl Buxton, president of the society, who presided, recalled the fact that nearly three ,years ago the citizens of Southern Rhodesia were given the opportunity'"of joining the'- Union of South Africa or of having a Constitution of their own. By n large majority they decided to have their' own Government, and as far as ho could ascertain tliey * had neviff. Regretted their choice.._ . (Cheers.), -Had' he been' a Ehodesian, he would have.- come to*' (he same.decision.- '

Sir John it was .comforting to know "that it was now universally agreed by, nil-political parties that the British Were' ,in Africa the' "trustees of the primitive native' .He had heard it said .that' the only way to d£al ■with the native question in Soiith Africa •was to; thrust the tiatives, noi'tH of the Zambesi.' That had only to be'stated to bp rejected for its impracticability. The truth of the matter was that, clqs'e..social - rdatiions* :'bet»Veeri. iraces"'- so " v ftfr" 'apart S's" the primitive African and the white were impossible without making 6uch a draft on tlje higher qualities.' pi) humanity' .that\no race could continue to make indefinitely. 'Sir John, said that that' led to theJccht-' clusjion that some- form of Segregation [was, necessary to dimmish'' the poiqt'iVof cori--tact : of the races. ; There could be no question of absolute segregation. ' It Woulc. be economically qyHe.;:,impracticable. It. was, therefore, partial' •segregation -that they must have,., and nthat; indudetf-'thp provision of 'considerate' afeaa"'.of/; laig.: where the natives' could , live ' their * own lives and gradually learn self-government. On the other hand, in the. of the, natives and European? ilikjß, iiwas highly desirable - that the progrekske, . educated natjve should comc. out of his'reserve and seek a life of 'greater •djjpdrfcji'nlty. \-" Sir Charles Coghlaa sai|d the .white, poptilntion in Rhodesia was only a'small one,, but it was. "not composed of lurid 'swashbucklers and abnormal*Tadifs that they read about in novels, but plain and simple men and /.■women.- • As"he held the portfolio for Native Affairs in Southern ; Rhodesia', he had *to spwkwith caution, t but) he agreed with .the Governor th»t 'feme .measure of segregation was necessary. Whether they ' agreed "• with the. present Prime Minister of the ~Ur,ion''.of South Africa or not, he deserved the thanks o f everybody for the way he had tackled ; thr native question! • In Southern Rhodesia, Sir Charles continued, they had a population of about, 45.000 white people' and 800,000 natives. That small handful ot people decided nearly three years ago to adopt self-government, and he wag sure the decision would be ratified to-day by an greater majority than was secured ther.. (Cheers.) - '