NATIVE POLICY IN AFRICA

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20780, 15 July 1937, Page 9

NATIVE POLICY IN AFRICA

REPLY TO GENERAL HERTZOG BRITAIN HONOURS HER PROMISES STATEMENT OF MINISTER FOR DOMINIONS British Official Wireless (Received July 14, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, July 13. Mr Malcolm Macdonald (Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs) In answer to a number of questions regarding the recent announcement of General Hertzog (Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa) in reference to the British African protectorates, said he had not been consulted by General Hertzog on the statement, nor were his conversations with General Hertzog In London embodied In the agreed memorandum. The arrangement was that he should communicate with General Hertzog on his return concerning the general position and as to the possible further practicable steps for carrying out the policy agreed upon in 1935.

With regard to the references to the native legislation recently passed by the Union of South Africa, Mr Macdonald said it would not be proper for him to discuss native policy in the Union. He had no reason to think the Union Government would not be ready to maintain the general scheme of the schedule of south Africa Act of 1909, providing for the contemplated transfer of the High Commissioner territories.

The Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa (General Hertzog) in an interview at Capetown last week, reproached the British Government for withholding the transfer of the native protectorates of Basutoland, Bechuanaland and Swaziland to the Union. He alleged that Britain was playing with the question. General Hertzog said he had written assurance two years ago that the transfer might be possible In a few years "I now learn,” he said, “that it will be a long time before the transfer is possible. The Union does not want to have recourse to the South African Act to request the King by decision of Parliament, to accede to the transfer. The consequences of such a step would be so incalculable that I am not accepting the latest British reply as final. Tire Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs (the Hon. Malcolm Macdonald) questioned in the House of Commons, regarding General Hertzog’s statement on the transfer to the Union Government of the Bechuanaland. Swaziland and Basutoland Protectorates, said there had been some misunderstanding. General Hertzog agreed last year that there was no understanding that the transfer of any of the territories should take place in any specified time. General Hertzog also agreed that any prediction to time must necessarily be in the nature of a conjecture. General Hertzog himself saw the instructions sent to the officials in the territories, in pursuance of the 1935 agreement, and there must therefore be a misunderstanding if General Hertzog now said there had been a failure on the part of the Home Government to carry out its undertaking During General Hertzog’s recent visit the Dominions Secretary agreed to consider what further steps were now practicable, and there was an understanding that General Hertzog and he communicate with each other. The Government was determined to carry out the policy agreed on two years ago.