16
THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1936.
A Shameful Story from RHODESIA
L
YING south of the Zambesi river there is a great territory of 150,000 square miles called Southern Rhodesla. Less than half a century ago it WAS "native" territory under a King-Chief called Lobengula.
But when news reached the British Bouth Africa Company that gold was to be found there in paying quantities, the share- holders of that company marched north by proxy, and after some pretty work with Maxim guns over assegals, Lo- bengula was driven out, and the Company's directors ruled in his place.
In the year 1933 the territory British Dominion became with a Parliament of white pro- perty owners.
The only restriction placed upon them was that no legisla- tion discriminating between Europeans and natives could become operative until it had received the nasent of the Do- minions Secretary In the Im- perial Government at West- minster.
In theory there is no colour bar. In theory the promise of Cecli Rhodes that there would be equal rights for all civilised men south of the Zamber river still holds good.
In practice, however, the white property owners are taking jolly good care that the natives do not Require the elvilisation qualißca- tion.
Last year there was spent out of the public taxes 21 on every European child's education, and only 10s. per head, upon the edu- cation of such African children as attended a school,
Yet, when further discrimina- tary legislation is carried in the Parliament of Southern Rhodesia, the members of the British House of Cominous are, kept carefully in ignorance until such time as the Dominions Secretary has given hils approval,
The papers are not laid upon the table of the House of Commons. No Intimation of any kind is given us.
If we learn of it at all, it is by accident, or because someone like Mr. Creech Jones, M.P., or Mr. Noel Buxton, who takes an interest in the welfare of the disfranchised coloured subjecta of the King, hag been in touch with some mission- ary or returned travoller.
In April of this year the Goy- ernment of Bouthern Rhodesia got through u measure called the Natives Registration Bill. Being discriminatory it had to be sent to London for Mr. Malcolm Mac- Donald's approval.
By section 14 (3) of this measure native women are to be licensed as
by
The Rt. Hon.
Tom
Johnston, M.P
concubines for the use of imported The labourers on the focations. Hcences are to be issued by the superintendents of the locations.
The goldmining and other em- ployers require imported labourers These -largely from Nyasaland. labourers are not encouraged to bring their wives and familles or given facilities to make a home and a settlement.
On the mines alone there are over 22,000 such importees, living separately from their wives and families, with the result that there has grown, and grown appalling extent, both prostitution and unnatural vice.
to an
Instead of encouraging a family settlement system as a means of countering these evils, the Govern- ment of Southern Rhodesia now proceeds to license concubines. (to use Mr. Malcolin That La MacDonald's delicate phraseology when answering my question on the subject, the other day) women who are to live with the labourers. "Although there has been no actual form tracted.
of marriage con-
And the Secretary of State for the Dominions has approved of shameful this scandalous and
legtstation. He is "not prepared to advise His Majesty to disallow this Act." (Hansard, July 14.)
From the Omeial Report of pro- ceedings in the Parliament ol Southern Rhodesia for last April 2, I see that the Minister of Nauve Affairs, in defending his B, de- clared that there would be "a large number of these women, and he
· added:
"As hon, members know, the state of affairs in native life produced by while civilisation is really shocking. The bulk of these boys in the location are not legitimately married, either under Their customs or under
Christian rites. It is quite impossible to keep these natives In the proximity of our towns unless certain faellites nre provided."
The concubine 'will be attached to the labourer during his period of contract with his employer.
When the contract is finished- the contract, I understand, is usually for 270 shifts in the gold ruines, and that takes about 11 months to fulfi, but there are con- tracts for shorter periods--and The inbourer Roes away back home to his tribe, the concubine and her children, if any, will be
passed on to another labourer. And when his contract of ser- vice is concluded, to still another labourer.
At no period of her concubinage can the woman be said to be living in economically comfortable con- ditions, since the wages of the man' who is maintaining her appear to be on the average £13 per annum or 55. per week (Empire Parla- Annual Association mentary Report, 1933, p. 224).
But there is a food ration in addition, the value of which I am unable to estimate.
The gold mining companies, especially since the country went off the gold standard, and the price of gold has rocketed from 4 59. 10 about 7 per ounce, under no bc would appear to necessity of paying only celibate
wages.
Gold mining shares in South Africa are standing at from Ave 10 twenty times their par value, and some concerns are paying very large dividends. One Rho-
80 desian company paid
per cent. In 1934 and 00 per cent. in 1935.
Why, then, should we have this Jim Crow legislation in Rhodesia, and why' these bestial sex regula- tions?
In Uganda and West Africa, un- der the Colonial Office, we do at least attempt to administer affairs: for the benefit of the Africans: we give them place and pride in our Commonwealth of Nations, so that they may desire to remain with us in the Empire under a common tag, and sharing the benefits of a great confederation.
But apparently at our Dominions Once there is no such conception
U.B. ON DRAUGHT
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of Trusteeship; there we bave swal- lowed, lock, stock and barrel, the Cape policy of segregation and treating the Africans as a belot race, now and forever.
In Southern Rhodesia under the Prisons Act, an African in jail for n passport or any other offence can be given 12 cuts with the lash for twenty-nine separate offences against prison discipline.
Twelve cuts with the Inst for:-- Being idle, curetess or negligent in his work, or refusing to work.
"Swearing.
от cursing
using abusive, Insulting or improper 07 holding Conversing language. intercourse with another prisoner not at authorised times.
Singing, whistling or making an unnecessary noise or giving unneces sary trouble.
'flaving in his cell any articles the should not have."
For these crimes, according to the Minister of Justice and Defence
O
(Above) "An émancipated woman," and (left) a group of temporary tolues with their children, in Rhodesian mino
compounds.
(Southern Rhodesla Parliamentary Report 27th April, 1935) the African may be Inshed, to the ex- tent of twelve cuts.
But this Prisons Act, since in theory it applies to Europċans and Africans alike, was not discrimina- tory legislation and so was not the submitted for approval to Dominions Office.
Government
The "National " has, however, endorsed the shock- ing concubinage system, though how Mr. Malcolm MacDonald (who with his constituents in Ross and Cromarty stands so firmly opposed to the iniquities of Sunday Golf) came to appond his signature of approval to it, I cannot under- stand.
He may, perhaps, have inherited sotne pledge from his predecessor in omce,
Anyhow, he did not sign inad- vertently. He knew what he was doing. And I hope that Public Opinion, once the facts are known, will compel him to annul lus sig-
nature.
ROUNDABOUT
by The Showman -
And
H, a very mad world! yet it seems far away., I am looking out into my small garden, with its two limo trees, its
and its dog's cat-walk,
Sun- bathing enclosure,
There is a job (I have even for- ·· gotten what it is) that I am going to do sometime. And there is the place where the tortoise is buried. Europe The echo of apes' work coines rumbling over the house-tops: Just as the sound of gunfire came to Mr. Bert Buttonstick and me in rest billets on summer evenings so long ago "The Dret seven years are always the worst.
And now I seem to hear a dull, rhythmic noise. Why, of course, it is Mr. Baldwin. He has picked up the last brick he dropped, and is sadly knocking himself on the head. Philosopher and his Stone.
Thus we return to reality.
The
explosion, and, all see my coloured family.
cherry-
I can still hear the cherry-coloured photographer murmuring, as he was Jed away. "Mos' refreshing shower of Where -whoops!-shower of ralush. did come fromsia?"
Curiously enough, we had just the same experience the previous year- only, of course, win a different photo- grapher,
Wags' Corner
TO-DAY'S story "comes from the
Clanbridget Joke factory, Collector: "Would you, please, con
Lotcards the i aomething tribute Inebriates' Home?
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That Wonderful Country GOODBYE
A
MERICA is always funny in fla progressive way. For example, Governor Landon, the Republican can didate for the Presidency, has been discovered to lack glamour: so his daughter has been roped into pro- vide the sex appeal part of his can- pign."
For another example, & nudist dancer was hired by the great city of Cleveland, Ohio, to make its great trades exhibition a Onancial success And she said, did. this dancer, “I find the world wants nudism properly-pre- senleg."
AMAZING DISCLOSURE
ITS beyond us, isn't it? Just ns, is the way in which President Rease- rell overcomes any opposition in the Senate to his proposals.
Didn't you know? Why, a bunch of little culles dance into the Senate Chamber-one to each recalcitrant Benator and they say "naughty old sour-puss! But he must agree with our President! And there's a big kits for hilm. It ho does!"
So each old sour-puss agrees, and is kissed, and is hailed as a aweetie-pic. And that is how I met your grand- mother. -
Seasonable Warning.
"Then pour into a cask, and bung lightly." "Yes, bang lightly. Other- wise....
Well last year we made some cherry wine, and, after I had bunged it with my bung hammer, my family and I posed round the cask to be photo- graphed. And
then-but you can guess, I can still hear the sound of the
-----To-day's Thought
You cannot ay like an eagle
with the wings of a seren.
-W. H. HUDSON.
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