CO885-(18-19) — Page 381

Printed for the use of the Colonial Officë.

Miscellaneous,

: No. 217.

Confidential.

NATIVE RACES IN THE BRITISH EMPIRE.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

C.O.885

Reference :-

19 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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MEMORANDUM.

The following is little more than a summary of a few points worth considering and of commonplace suggestions made without an pretence to either personal knowledge of local conditions or expert knowledge of the subject. I put them down knowing that many or most of them are probably impracticable in particular places or under particular conditions; but they will invite criticism by members of the office and possibly others who deal with different colonies and dependencies. The result may be to work out eventually some useful recommenda- tions which can be put into practice.

Term Native."

lu this memorandum "Native" is used in the ordinary popular sense the coloured man in his own home, either having lived there from all time or having immigrated, forcibly or other- wise, so as to have in past times formed or now to form the bulk of or a dominant element in the population. But, as the reports of Com- missions show, the exact definition of " Native is of vital importance for purposes of laws and regulations on the subject, e.g., whether it in- cludes the half breed or not, and so forth

Division of Native races in the British Empire.

The native races can, of course, be classitied in various ways-by race, geography, religion, and otherwise.

For the present purpose, I suggest two classi

fications as likely to be helpful—

*

(i) By political status, whether or not they are, as a body, ordinary citizens of the land of which they are natives.

(ii) By the form of British government or protection under which they live, whether or not they are natives of a land which is now a Crown Colony or Pro- tectorate or of one which is now a self- governing colony.

50 G 876 Wt 25192 248 D&S 5

30741

Native Populations in self-governing Colonies.

In

There are no natives left in Newfoundland and Tasmania. In Canada and Australia they are a comparatively insignificant remnant. Canada they number 'about 100,000 out of a In total population of nearly seven millions. Australia there are no accurate statistics, and

In the any statement is pure guess work. Australian Handbook they are estimated at 200,000 out of a total population of over four millions, but this seems to be clearly an over- estimate, and 107,000 is probably nearer the mark. In New Zealand they number about 48,000 against rather less than 900,000 whites. In South Africa they overwhelmingly outnumber the whites, being estimated in a report of 1905 at 4,652,000 against 1,135,000, or more than four times as many." * In the Orange River Colony the whites are more than a third of the population. In the Cape Colony and the Trans? vail they are about one-fourth. In Natal about one in 10 or 11, In Southern Rhodesia about one in 46. In Swaziland about one in 100. In the Bechuanaland Protetorate about one in 120, I:. Basutoland about one in 350,

Sub-dividing under the first of the two heads given-

In Canada and Australia the federal franchise follows the state franchise. In Canada some of the Indians are citizens, Some are not. In

Ontario, for instance, there are Indian voters.

In British Columbia they seem to be expressly excluded.†

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In Australia, I told, the aborigines The practically nowhere enjoy the franchise. Commonwealth Franchise Act of 1902 provides that no aboriginal native of Australia, Asia, Africa, or the islands of the Pacific except New Zealand shall be entitled to have his name placed on an Electoral Roll unless so entitled under Section 41 of the Constitution." That Section provides in effect that all adults entitled to vote for the popular House in a State may vote for the Commonwealth Parliament. To take an instance of the State restrictions, the Western Australian Constitution Acts Amendment Act of 1899 provides that "no aboriginal native of Australia. Asia, or Africa, or person of the half blood, shall be entitled to be registered except in respect of a freehold qualification.” A bill is now before the Western Australian Parliament abolishing the freehold qualification in all cases of Europeans as well as natives,

• See annexure No. 7 to the Report of the South African Native Affairs Commission, 1905. [Cd, 2399.] † Memorandum on the Legal status of British North American Indians: Colonial Reports (Miscellaneons) No. 15, 1900,