Abstract
MINISTERS of the Crown have shown a somewhat tardy but earnest desire to allay public uneasiness lest further steps should be taken to carry out the undertaking of the British Government to hand over the three South African native protectorates to the tutelage of the Union Government without any opportunity being given for the expression of the views of the native population on the proposed transfer. The ground for this fear has now been removed by an official reaffirmation of the pledges given when the South Africa Bill passed through Parliament. In the aide-memoire, which was handed to the Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa by the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs oa May 15 last, now published as a White Paper (Cmd. 4948), explicit reference is made to the undertakings that the inhabitants, both native and European, of the Protectorates would be consulted, and Parliament given an opportunity to express its views, as precedent conditions which must be observed before transfer takes place. This memorandum goes on to state that the Government has expressed its view to General Herzog that not only is the time not ripe for such consultation of the inhabitants, but also that the information at its disposal indicates that native opinion in the territories is very strongly opposed to the transfer. This statement will bring reassurance to those who have felt apprehension at the way in which the situation has appeared to be developing in the last twelve months, and also it will give them no little gratification by its firm, but at the same time conciliatory, attitude in asking for the co-operation of the Union Government with the administration of the territories during the next few years in a policy which will convince the native population that the Union Government is working with the local administration in a real and generous desire to develop and improve conditions in the territories.
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South African Protectorates and British Pledges. Nature 136, 96 (1935). https://doi.org/10.1038/136096c0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/136096c0