CO885-(18-19) — Page 399

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

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19 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

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he educational and other interests of

(page 68).

stablishment of a uniform and per- litical status for the natives through- Africa" (page 69).

t think that an obviously unequal and system of separate voting by native ily for a fixed number of members to

them in the Legislatures of the country, ame status as other members

·

er not to be more than sufficient to nadequate means for the expression views and the ventilation of their

if any, and not to be regulated by rical strength of the native vote , can or ought to be regarded as other aporary and intermediate stage devised al conditions at a given time. It may that fixed representation of race does arily imply, though it need not exclude, tional qualification for the voters* unong native races an educational test my mind, to be held to be indis- Education obviously covers in the

ae training and facilities which can be enable native non-citizens to become

be noted--

(a) that it is conceivable--though I

> not know any instances-that the

;

ansition and the enfranchisement might by the clan or tribe and not by the dividual;

(6) that, whether the unit is the clan

r the individual, there are certain definite

estrictions which can he gradually olished and certain qualifications which be required as preliminary to tizenship.

ribe or clan is the unit, I know no reason ain standards and rules should not be

n. just as in the case of individuals, and nistered by a definite authority, the r or otherwise, on the report of the with the tribe. It is conceivable that which had a good school in its midst ose members had gradually adopted customs might, provided-say--that irths professed the Christian religion, e-fourths could speak English and read e, and three fourths wanted to abandon il system, be enfranchisel en bloc, pos- th the substitution for the communal

majority of the Natal Commission who would representation would require un educational 'he exempted native should be permitted indi- to qualify for the Parliamentary franchise by education and the possession of landed property me, and by a system of registration based upliance with certain tests, have their names pon a special electoral roll, applicable to the lony" (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)." I 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 shou'd 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 nomadl 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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