AN EMPIRE LAWSUIT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 205, 18 May 1918, Page 2

AN EMPIRE LAWSUIT

WHO OWNS 50,000,000 ACRES IN

SOUTHERN RHODESIA?

"A Man About Town," in his Diary in the London "Evening News," writes:—

"The British South Africa Company reference will coiuo before tlio Privy Council next month. This seems a. bald statement. It really means one of the greatest lawsuits in our Empire's history. Tho question to be decided by Their Lordships is, shortly, this: who owns some 50 millions of aui'es of lnnd in Southern Rhodesia? The Chartered Company now holds it; the elected members of the Rhodesinn Legislature claim -it; tho Crown of England claims it; and the Aboriginal Society of England say tho natives own it. Cecil Rhodes lived and died with the firm conviction that ha had got it for tlio Chartered Company from Lobengula, tho late and last king of the Matabolo. While Viscount Harconrt wits at tho Colonial Office, however, somebody began to raise questions of titles to land and other matters, and he referred tho wholo-matter to the Privy Council. Our unprotentious but highest Court in the Empire at !) Downing Street, will be filled with lawyers and nnist.v tomes of law for many a day before this question is settled. "Meantime, '.Rhodesia claims to have sent a larger proportion of its colonists to the colours than any other part of tlio Empire. -These cnllant. men deserve their share of tho SO million acres, anyway."