IMPORTANT STEP

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11740, 30 January 1924, Page 6

IMPORTANT STEP

FOR GERMAN AFRICA TEUTONS TO BECOME CITIZENS OF UNION. PROVISIONS OS AGREEMENT* By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Australian and N./i Cnuin ..a CAPETOWN, January 28. An important step in the future of the Mandated Territory of the South West Protectorate wrs marked by the issue of a memorandum giving the results of a conference in London between General Smuts and representatives of the German Reich, at which an agreement was reached, under which German Nationals automatically become citizens of the South African Union with the same privileges and responsibilities as other citizens. ACCEPTANCE RECOMMENDED. Every facility will be given for the free use of the German language, and Germans and their children will not be liable to military .service against the German Reich for a period of thirty years. The German Government undertook to recommend the acceptance of the conditions. At a later 'conference held at Capetown between General Smuts and a deputation, representative of the German South-West Protectorate, the Premier explained the position. He stated that the Union Government was desirous of doing its utmost to carry out the agreement, which Ae did not ask the deputation to ratify, because that was -unnecessary, but he asked them for help in advising Germans to adopt the course recommended by the German Government. HAD HOPED FOR MORE. The deputation replied that it had hoped to obtain a great deal more than the agreement provided, and expressed a wish that the Territory should not be annexed as a fifth Province to the Union, but should be made a separate State with a Legislative Council, and the right to vote its own budget. The deputation, was, however of opinion that automatic naturalisation as citizens of the Union would not meet with serious opposition from the German population.