Racial Segregation Policy Wins Out

Chronicle (Levin), 12 March 1949, Page 5

Racial Segregation Policy Wins Out

Received Friday, 7 p.m. CAPE TOWN March 11. Dr. Malan's Nationalist Party, fighting the South Afncan provinical elections on its policy of racial segrega tio 11, was early today assured of an overail majority in the Union as a wliole. With only one resnlt ouistanding, the results for the four provinces were : Nationalists 85 . United Party 78 Labour 3 Independents 3 One of the Independents will support the Nationalists. In the 1943 elections the Nationalists held only 48 seats to the United Party 's 97. In the present elections the Nationalists almost swept the field in the O range Free Statfe and cut the United Party representation in Transvaal very considerably.

DIVERGENT PRESS COMMENT Received Saturday, 12.15 a.m. JOHANNESBURG, March 11. South African newspapers differed sharply in their analysis of the provineial elections. The Cape Times which supported the Hmuts United Party, said the Nationalists had suffered a grievous defeat in their hopes if not imrnediately in, their power. The Nationalist Die Burger, of Capetown, said the results disproved the Smuts' eontention that the 1948-. General Eleetion result was "a mistake. " The Rand Daily Mail 's political correspondent elaimed: "The country has refused its conSent to Prime Minister Malan to ovefHde the constitution. " The dndependent Natal Mercury, of Durban, in an editorial, said Dr. Malan and the extreme Nationalists had failed to break all precedepts by using the provincial elections to obtain "what they were prepared to call a mandate for their colour policy. ' ' The paper added: "As at the Generai Eleetion i last year, a position of virtual stalemate has been reached. Those Nationalists who believed that their Party had consolidated itself and that they would be able to rule without restramt for vears to come, will have to think again. Their position, if anything, is weaker than it was ten months ago."