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HIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HER BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT)
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CONFIDENTIAL
C. (52) 193
CABINET OFFICE RECORD COPY
13TH JUNE, 1952
CABINET
COPY NO. 64.
PROPOSED FEDERATION OF SOUTHERN RHODESIA,
NORTHERN RHODESIA AND NYASALAND
Memorandum by the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Secretary of State for the Colonies
We circulate
(a) The final revise (Appendix I) of a White Paper to be published on Wednesday, 18th June, containing a Draft Federal Scheme prepared by a Conference representative of the United Kingdom, Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland Governments, which met at Lancaster House from 23rd April to 5th May, 1952. It is being published in accordance with undertakings already given to Parliament.
(b) The draft basis of a statement to be made in both Houses on the day of publication (Appendix II).
2.
Last year a conference of officials of the four Governments drew up proposals for the federation of the three Central African territories. These were published in June, 1951 (Cmd. 8233) and were commended by the Labour Government as "a constructive approach to the problem".
3.
A Conference attended by our predecessors was held at Victoria Falls in September, 1951, to discuss the proposals. It was inconclusive, and adjourned till mid-1952.
4.
In November the Cabinet, having considered C. (51) 11, authorised (a) a Parliamentary statement announcing the support of the present Government for the principle of federation on the general lines of the officials' report (see Cmd. 8411); and (b) the holding of further discussions with the Central African Governments in preparation for the resumption of the adjourned Conference.
5.
These further discussions brought out clearly the urgent need to dispel misunderstandings and misrepresentations of the federal proposals by placing before the public as early as possible a comprehensive draft federal scheme. Accordingly the date of the re-convened Conference was advanced to April.
6.
African representatives from Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland declined an invitation to attend; but in other respects the Conference was a success. It agreed upon a draft Federal Scheme, and set up three Commissions to examine during the summer the problems arising in the fields of finance, the civil service and the judiciary.
7.
Paragraph 12 of the preface in the forthcoming White Paper (Appendix I, page 4) summarises the Scheme. While following the broad lines of the officialge 199mmendations it abandons the proposal to include in the 20deral
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