PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O.885
19 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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given to the educational and other interests of natives
(page 68).
"The establishment of a uniform and. per- manent political status for the natives through- out South Africa " (page 69).
I do not think that an obviously unequal and inelastic system of "separate voting by native electors only for a fixed number of members to represent them in the Legislatures of the country, with the same status as other members the number not to be more than sufficient to provide an adequate means for the expression of native views and the ventilation of their if and not to be regulated by grievances, any, the numerical strength of the native vote (page 69), can or ought to be regarded as other than a temporary and intermediate stage devised to-suit local conditions at a given time. It may be added that fixed representation of race does not necessarily imply, though it need not exclude, an educational qualification for the voters*; whereas among native races an educational test ought, to my mind, to be held to be indis- pensable. Elucation obviously covers in the
main
(B) The training and facilities which can be given to enable native non-citizens to become citizens.
It will be noted—
(a) that it is conceivable-though I
do not know any instances-that the transition and the enfranchisement might be by the clan or tribe and not by the individual;
(b) that, whether the unit is the clan or the individual, there are certain definite restrictions which can be gradually abolished and certain qualifications which can be required as preliminary to citizenship.
If the tribe or clan is the unit, I know no reason why certain standards and rules should not be laid down, just as in the case of individuals, and be administered by a definite authority, the Governor or otherwise, on the report of the Resident with the tribe. It is conceivable that a tribe which had a good school in its midst and whose members had gradually adopted civilised customs might, provided-say-that three-fourths professed the Christian religion, and three-fourths could speak English and read and write, and three-fourths wanted to abandon the tribal system, be enfranchised en bloc, pos- sibly with the substitution for the communal
The majority of the Naial Commission who would give race representation would require an educational test. "The exempte native should be permitted indi- vidually to qualify for the Parliamentary franchise by means of education and the possession of landed property and income, and by a system of registration based upon compliance with certain tests, have their names eutered upon a special electoral roll, applicable to the whole colony" (p. 24).
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system of land of lots for each family of a size designed in each case to confer ipso facto the franchise.
:
In this connexion it will be noted that in the
Natal report, among the "agencies suggested for bringing about the decay of tribalism" (page 17), is given “establishment of communal settlements in locations to be controlled by village Councils." This is referred to again on pages 19, 20 as "the establishment of village settlements under an inceptive form of self-government (including local taxation)." 1 have referred to this subject already. In an Eastern country like Ceylon village councils or village tribunals (Gansabha- was) are and always have been an integral part of the native system. Where they do not exist, they might be difficult to create; but where they do exist or can be created, they should be valuable in the transitional stage and clucate the people for further citizenship.
It will be noted too that some kind of council
is the usual accompaniment of the tribal system, as has been seen in the case of West Africa. Similarly the South African Native Affairs Com- mission writes (page 65) “ Under their ancient tribal system the native people were not without representation, and the wishes of the tribe at all times played an important part in guiding the policy of the Chief's government." I presume therefore that the lately established Basutoland Council represents something which is not unfamiliar to the Basutos, and which may be the germ of a more representative system.
But on the other hand the village and the village council is one thing, and the tribe and the tribe council may be another. I have quoted Sir Frederick Lugard as describing the gradual transition from the tribal to the territorial unit. This is obviously a step forward—from a nomad stage to that of a fixed and defined dwelling place; but it is equally obvious that this stage of progress depends largely on geographical conditions. I take it that in those parts of South Africa (though I write without knowledge) where water only occurs at intervals, the tribes (as among the Bechuanas) necessarily become more anchored to particular spots, in other words form more or less permanent villages or settlements, to a greater extent than is the case elsewhere.
If the individual is the unit, natives may attain a certain standard, and, after such test and under such authority as may be constituted, be entered on the register. In Natal, under the present law, natives, in order to get the vote which as a matter of fact they never seem to get) must have a certificate of good character and the consent of the Governor. The Natal Commissioners recommend (page 23), with re gard to the exempting of natives from the operation of native law, which is a preliminary to limited citizenship, that "the standard for
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