CO885-(18-19) — Page 390

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TILLI C.O.885

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

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

an:l assert individualism.

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Education and contact with-civilisation seem to augment the number.'

The Natal Native Commission, while laying down that it is admitted by most competent judges that tribalism must for the present and indeed for a long and uncertain period remain as a necessary institution and an indispensable component part of the government of the natives" yet regard it as an evil, and

propose rently with its maintenance, closer regulation, and supervision, that means should be adopted for its silent and unobserved disintegration" (p. 16). Similarly a former Governor of Fiji, Sir G. O'Brien, described the tribal system there as *the governing of the natives through the chief's and for the chiefs."*

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concur.

It seems to me that the ultimate object to be aimed at, and avowedly aimed at, however far off it may be, is ordinary citizenship for all colours alike under whatever is the government of the country, and the making of laws for the benefit of natives by a Colonial Legislature in which they are represented, just as one class and another in this country is legislated for by a Parliament representing all classes. In other words, that the natives should be an integral part of the community, and that they should be legislated for rather as a class than as a race.

This object may appear to be almost unattainable in a part of the world like South Africa, where there is responsible government and where coloured voters would, if the coloured men were all equal citizens with the whites, swamp the whites; and the experience of the United States is not en- couraging; but it is noteworthy that at the Cape the principle of political equality for all races has always been upheld. Before represen- tative institutions were given to the Cape Colony, under an ordinance of 1840, which created a municipality at Capetown, the Municipal fran- chise einbraced a very considerable number of coloured persons both as occupiers and pro- prietors, nor is the privilege disregarded. In the election both of Commissioners and Ward- masters they exhibit an interest equal

to

to that of their fellow electors"; and in the long correspondence and controversy as giving representative institutions to the Colony, though the Unofficial Members of the then nominated Legislative Council, under apparently a temporary panic, raised the franchise" qualifi- cation as against the coloured man, the original qualification of occupancy of a tenement worth £25 was restored by the then Secretary of State, the Duke of Newcastle, as "the basis originally contemplated and approved of in the Colony," coming to this conclusion “from a conviction that in conferring upon the Colony Correspondence relating to Native Taxation and the Communal System in Fiji." [Ca. 2240] 1901, p. 4.

† Correspondence relative to the establishment of a representative Assembly at the Cape of Good Hope, 5 Feb., 1850, p. 16.

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the boon of n representative constitution, it is exceedingly undesirable that the franchise should be so restricted as to leave those of the coloured classes who in point of intelligence are qualified for the exercise of political power practically unrepresented."*

Mr. Rhodes proclaimed his belief in this ideal of equal citizenship irrespective of colour, and Mr. Schreiner lately avowed sympathy with the same object; nor can I see any other final solution, though there may be and are inter- mediate stages of citizenship short of absolute equality.

(6) It is obvious, however, that in many cases it is not possible nor desirable to attempt any- thing wholesale of the kind for, it may be, generations. Allowing, therefore, that in some parts of the Empire at any rate a more or less separate system must be maintained for the time being, how can its evils be minimised ?

The native races in the British Empire differ so much in kind and in the stage which they have respectively reached that it is very difficult to say anything of general application which is even moderately accurate.

1 note-

(a) the system of native reserves. () the employment of European Residents.

(7) the use of native Chiefs as regular Government. Officers.

(a) Separation of natives from white men is most effectually brought about by constituting native reserves; and, in proportion as the separation is effectual, is the remoteness of the netion which is being taken from what I have assumed to be the ultimate object, viz., one community with all on a level.

concur

There is an interesting despatch from Lord Lansdowne to the Commissioner of British East Africa, written on October 21, 1904,† before the Colonial Office took over the administration. Sir Charles Eliot, in 1903, it says, * described himself at the time as strongly opposed to any scheme of native reserves, it such could be avoided, a view in which, in the then conditions of East Africa. I was disposed to He favoured the gradual settlement of Europeans among the Masai, who would in this way, he hoped, be brought gradually to abandon their wandering habits, and become, at least partially, cultivators of the soil or servants of those who were developing the resources of the country": he was prepared, however, “but only as an ultimate resort, to remove the tribesnien from their present homes to a special reserve elsewhere, should experience prove that they could not get on with the settlers." This latter alternative was recom- mended by the new Commissioner Sir Donald Stewart to Lord Lansdowne, who wrote in reply

• Further papers, &c., 31 May, 1853, p. 25. † 3734404, East Africa Protectorate.

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O.885

19 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

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lividualism. Education and contact ion seem to augment the number." 1 Native Commission, while laying it is admitted by most competent ribalism must for the present and long and uncertain period remain as institution and an indispensable sart of the government of the natives'

"comeur. it as an evil, and propose

its maintenance, closer regulation, sion, that means should be adoptel it and unobserved disintegration“ milarly a former Governor of Fiji, en, described the tribal system there cerning of the natives through the or the chiefs.*

o me that the ultimate object to be I avowedly aimed at, however far off * ordinary citizenship for all colours whatever is the government of the I the making of laws for the benefit ya Colonial Legislature in which esentel, just as one class and another try is legislated for by a Parliament all classes. In other words, that should be an integral part of the an that they should be legislated

This object a class than as a race.

to be almost unattainable in a part A like South Africa, where there is government and where coloured d, if the coloured men were all equal i the whites, swamp the whites; and nee of the United States is not en- but it is noteworthy that at the rinciple of political equality for all ways been upheld. Before represen- ations were given to the Cape Colony, rdinance of 1840, which created a

- at Capetown, the Municipal fran-

wed “a very considerable number of

rsus both as occupiers and pro-

to

or is the privilege disregarded. In both of Commissioners and Ward- y exhibit an interest equal their fellow electors";† and in the spondence and controversy as esentative institutions to the Colony, Unofficial Members of the then Legislative Council, under apparently y panic, raised the franchise qualifi- gainst the coloured man, the original i of occupancy of a tenement worth restored by the then Secretary of Duke of Newcastle, as the basis ontemplated and approved of in the coming to this conclusion "from a that in conferring upon the Colony

ndence relating to Native Taxation and the lyster in Fiji. [Cd. 2240] 1901, p. 4. indence relative to the establishment of a

e Assembly at the Cape of Good Hope, P. 16.

.C.

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the boon of a representative constitution, it is exceedingly undesirable that the franchise should he so restricted as to leave those of the coloured classes who in point of intelligence are qualifieds for the exercise of political power practically unrepresented."*

Mr. Rhodes proclaimed his belief in this idea! of equal citizenship irrespective of colour, and Mr. Schreiner lately avowed sympathy with the same object; nor can I see any other final solution, though there may be and are inter- mediate stages of citizenship short of absolute equality.

(b) It is obvious, however, that in many cases it is not possible nor desirable to attempt any thing wholesale of the kind for, it may be, generations, Allowing, therefore, that in some parts of the Empire at any rate a more or less separate system must be maintained for the time being, how can its evils be minimised ?

The native races in the British Empire differ so much in kind and in the stage which they have respectively reached that it is very difficult to say anything of general application which is even moderately accurate.

I note—

(a) the system of native reserves. (3) the employment of European Residents.

(7) the use of native Chiefs as regular Government Officers.

(a) Separation of natives from white men is

most effectually brought about by constituting native reserves; and, in proportion as the separation is effectual, is the remoteness of the action which is being taken from what I have assumed to be the ultimate object, viz., one community with all on a level.

There is an interesting despatch from Lord Lansdowne to the Commissioner of British East Africa, written on October 21, 1904,† before the Colonial Office took over the administration. Sir Charles Eliot, in 1903, it says, described himself at the time as strongly opposed to any scheme of native reserves, if such could be avoided, a view in which, in the then conditions of East Africa, I was disposed to He favoured the gradual settlement of Europeans among the Masai, who would in this way, he hoped, be brought gradually to abandon their wandering habits, and become, at least partially, cultivators of the soil or servants of those who were developing the resources of the country : he was prepared, however, but only as an ultimate resort, to remove the tribesnien from their present homes

concur

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to a special reserve elsewhere, should experience prove that they could not get on with the settlers." This latter alternative was recom- mended by the new Commissioner Sir Donald Stewart to Lord Lansdowne, who wrote in reply

• Further papers, &c., 31 May, 1853, p. 25. † 37314 04, East Africa Protectorate.

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