Britain Consults African Natives

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 20, 16 October 1937, Page 16

Britain Consults African Natives

LONDON. — A highly prickly issue of British Empire internal politics has been smoothed over for the time being by a conciliatory statement made in the House of Commons by Mr. Malcolm MacDonald, Dominions Secretary of State, who has explained that a misunderstanding has arisen in South Africa regarding the future of Bechuanaland, Swaziland and Basutoland. Mr. MacDonald was replylng to a somewhat strongly worded speech rocently made by Gen. J. M. B. Hertzog, Prime Minister of South Africa. General Hertzog had criticised the British Government for f ailure to expedite the transfer to the TJnion of these Territories. MacDonald Explains. The explanation of the situation given by Mr. MacDonald shows that no change has taken place in the attitude toward this question of the British Government which iias acted throughout in close accord with Pretoria. The immediate cause of General Hertzog 's protest is a difficulty which has risen in preventing cattle raiding along the borders of these tribal areas which have been left under British protection ever since 1909 when all the territories surrounding them were brought under South African TJnion Tule. Britain now finds herself in a dilemma. Whitehall fully recognises that it is impossible indefinitely to have such isolated areas, entirely surrounded

"as they are by TJnion territory, in any | hands other than those of the . South 1 African Government. At the same time it is also felt here strongly that 600,000 Africans inhabiting territories xoughly equivalent in size to Britain, cannot be transferred against their will from one paramount authority to another. British policy, in which the South African Government has hitherto cordially concurred, has thus been to endeavour by mutual co-operation am'ong the white authorities on the spot— British and South African- — to ereate such conditions of good will. as may enable transfer to be effected with the African natives' consent. Conditions Not Attained. But these conditions have not yet been attained. Mr. MacDonald, in tho course of the proceedings in Parliament, explained that the British Government adheres to the pledges it has given that transfer should not take place until the j loeal population has been eonsulted. He j also 'said he was getting in touch with' ; General Hertzog about it. ■ | Mr.' Creech Jones, one of the Labonr Opposition, however, indicated very, real diffieulties still to be overcomo when he averred that neither the natives nor the British Parliament would consent to the transfer of these protectorates so long as South African legislation provided "non-equality between black and white in their own territories."