AFRICAN NATIVES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22389, 8 April 1936, Page 13

AFRICAN NATIVES

QUESTION OF FRANCHISE MINISTER OPPOSES BILL CAPETOWN, April 6 The closing sitting of the joint Parliamentary session on the Native Representation Bill was marked by an unusual incident. Although the necessary two-thirds majority was assured, the Minister of the Interior, Mr. J. H, Hofmeyr, bluntly announced his intention to vote against the bill because, as far as the Assembly was concerned, it created a colour bar. The definition of " native " would degrade the ever-increasing number of coloured people and the creation of a native voters' roll was contrary to the spirit of the Act of Union. Mr. Hofmeyr predicted that the bill would make educated native? who were denied political equality leaders in disaffection and revolt among their own people. European sympathisers, led by Sir James Rose-Innes and Archbishop Phelps, have issued a manifesto protesting against the organisation of the electorate on racial lines.

Mr. Hofineyr's opposition "to the bill is bound to lead to serious repercussions.

The Native Representations Bill prohibits further registration of natives as voters, but safeguards the franchise rights of existing native voters. In place of the vote, the bill gives natives the right of election of four senators in addition to senators already appointed for their knowledge of native affairs; a native representative council for the whole Union; aud in Cape Province two members of the Provincial Council elected by natives. For the purpose of these elections the Union will be divided into four electoral districts, Natal, Transvaal, together with the Orange Free State, the Transkei territories, and the Cape Province, excluding the Transkei territories. In each of these areas there will be an electoral college consisting of headmen chiefs and others. .Each college will elect one sena tor. The native representative council will consist of 22 members, under the chairmanship of the Minister of Native Aftairs. The five chief Native Commissioners of the Union will be members and the 16 remaining members will be natives, four to be appointed by the Governor-General and the rest elected by the electoral colleges.