SOUTH-WEST AFRICA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22448, 18 June 1936, Page 13

SOUTH-WEST AFRICA

FUTURE CONSIDERED INCLUSION IN UNION PROPOSAL OF GOVERNMENT By Telegraph—Press Association— CAPETOWN, June 1G The South African Government proposes to administer South-West Africa as an integral portion of the Union by taking action under clause six of Article 22 of the League Covenant. The Union's recent judicial commission emphasised that no limit was placed on such administration so long as the mandatory nation furnished an annual report to the League.

The TTnion decided to institute selfgovernment in 1923, as the administration started so hopefully. General Smuts concluded an agreement in London with two representatives of the German Government, whereby the TTnion legislated for German nationals, who automatically accepted naturalisation in January, 1924. The German language was recognised as the official one. Germans obtained a majority in the first elected Assembly, and this led to a close compact between the British and the Afrikanders. Racial animosities developed, which became acute in 1933 on the formation of Nazi organisations and the Hitler Youth Movement among school children.

The registration of sons of Germans, who were automatically naturalised, for military training in tbe Fatherland and in Labour services indicates the extent of the racial feelings, although the German Consul attempted to explain that this was done unwittingly. Germans resigned from the Legislative Assembly and refused to serve on the Administrative Council. This resulted in the Assembly petitioning the Union to take in South-West Africa as a fifth province.

Clause six of Article 22 of the League Covenant states: —There are territories, such as South-West Africa, and certain of the South Pacific Islands, which, owing to the sparseness of their population, or their small size, or their remoteness from the centres of civilisation, or their geographical contiguity to the territory of the Mandatory, and other circumstances, can be best administered under the laws of the Mandatory as integral portions of its territory, subject to the safeguards previously mentioned, in the interests of the indigenous population.

DETAILS OF CENSUS UNION'S POPULATION PRETORIA, June 16 The census reveals that the total population of the South African Union is 9,479,985, an increase of 2,551,405 since 1921. Europeans number 1,979,390, an increase of 459,902.