NATIVE PROBLEM

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23289, 27 August 1945, Page 8

NATIVE PROBLEM

South African Trends New Difficulties Found Growth Of Industries The South African Institute of Race Relations is an influential organisation which pursues the ideal "of the peaceful adjustment of conflicting' national and racial interests and of practical ('(>-operation between the national and racial groups upon the basis of justice and respect lor the humanity of all men what ever their creed, nationality or racial origin.” At a recent meeting the council of the institute "noted with grave concern that, notwithstanding many advances in goodwill and understanding among the European public, there has been in many circles a hardening of attitude toward the non-Europeans, and that there is a growing tendency among the younger people in all the non-European groups to despair of conciliatory method: and to believe that only hatred, employing the method of direct action and, if need be culminating in a revolution, can bring about the fundamental changes in status which they desire. ..." Justice Within Limits There can be no doubt that the Council of the Institute ol Race Relations accurately reflects in that statement the view of large masses of the Union's 6.500.000 natives. They fed that their advancement is too slow, that obstacles are deliberately put in their way.

This dor. not mean, however, that the aspirations and potentialities of the native races are being systematically thwarted and minimised by the European part of the population. There may be considerable numbers of Europeans, including English-speaking South Africans-the section generally credited with a tradition of a more liberal view of their responsibilities to the native than the Afrikaans-speaking —who resent the increasing encroachment of the non-Europcan upon what have hitherto been regarded as European preserves. But it can lie fairly claimed that the great majority of South Africans are desirous of.doing full justice to the native withfn the limits imposed by the policy of maintaining white supremacy, and FieldMarshal Smuts has declared his inability to believe that such a policy makes impossible the economic, social and cultural advancement of the native people.

The truth is that the native problem is changing before our eyes. Only a decade ago it was popularly accepted that a long-term solution of the native problem had been found in the policy which sought to develop the native in his own areas and in a way which fitted in with native life and tradition. It was felt that the native should stay in his reserves and follow his agricultural and pastoral pursuits. If he did come out, it was to go to farm or mine, and he was expected to return periodically and thus maintain the old tribal traditions and standards. To this end more land was to be acquired for native occupation and added to the reserves. A Dual Revolution But the growth of secondary industry in the Union has given the native problem an entirely new face. South Africa is experiencing what is, to all intents and purposes, an economic: and .social revolution, the end of which is not yet in sight. And it is creating a completely new set of problems. Industrial development is bringing the native into the urban areas in greatly increased numbers. As far as can be seen at present his transfer from the reserves is likely to be permanent.

The marked and continuing change in the native problem has brought the two main political parties into still another field of conflict. Earlier in the session Dr Malan. the Leader of the Opposition, described the colour question as “unodubtedly South Africa's biggest, most serious, most urgent, ‘most unsolved’ problem.” His own solution is a policy of rigid segregation. He is desirous of helping the native races to develop, but it must be in their own sphere. What he and his adherents would like to see is the native either confined to his reserves or organised as a labour force for European agriculture, an attitude easy to understand when it is remembered that the Afrikaans farmer is the backbone of the Nationalist Party. Long-term Policy Impossible On the other hand. Field-Marshal Smuts accepts the inevitability of the sweeping changes involved in the industrial revolution now in progress. He and his followers are trying to take a realistic-view of the situation. One of the conclusions to which the Government has come is that until all the f implications of this revolution have dis- | closed themselves, it is impossible to | lay down a hard-and-fast, long-term i native policy. All they can be expected to do at present is to study the march of events closely to determine how the | position can be regulated so that the country can make the best use of its I native labour resources in urban sec- i ondary industry, and to meet as far ks I possible the immediate problems created bv the change. Two of the most pressing of such problems are farm labour and housing for native workers | in the towns. Field-Marshal Smuts has already told i his Opposition critics, who have stressed the threat to the country's agrieul- j tural industry implicit in the largecale drift of the native to the urban areas, that the farmers themselves have fallen lamentably short of their need in their own efforts to solve their problem. He has pointed to the cooperative work of the gold mines m the establishment of an organisation for the recruitment of mining labour, and has announced that the Govern-

ment is prepared to act with the farming- unions is setting up kindred machinery to find workers for the land. The peculiar problems created by the influx of thousands of natives into urban areas with few or no facilities for their accommodation assume almost a national importance. The Government recognises this, and the Prime Minister has declared his readiness to take the necessary financial steps to ensure that these urbanised natives are provided with decent housing and the other services that make for a healthy life.