AFFAIRS IN BECHUANALAND
PROTECTORATE
r —DETRIBALISATION AND THE WASTE
OF MAN POWER
BY A SPE C IA L C O R R E SPO N D E N T
T h e B e c h u a n a la n d P r o te c to ra te re ­
p ro d u ces th e g e n e ra l econom ic fe a tu re s
.of th e o th e r H igh C om m ission t e r r ­
ito ries. T h e p o p u latio n a p p e a rs to be
I statiQnftfY l f r r i u m b e r r ' econom ic a d ­
v a n c e m e n t ts a lm o st e n tire ly arTe6ted.
S t a n d a r d s of living a re falling. T h e
c o u n try only k e e p s Itself going by
se n d in g Its m an h o o d a b ro a d to seek
em plo y m ent. C ollections of n a tiv e h u t
ta x w ere a c tu a lly s m a lle r In 1928 th a n
th e y w ere In 1917. 8 u c h figures a s are
a v a ila b le seem to show t h a t Im ports
h a v e n o t risen app re c iab ly since 1925.
a n d t h a t ex p o rts In th e sa m e period
h a v e o n ly in cre a se d by som e £ 20.000.
o r a b o u t 6 p e r c ent. So f a r a s th e
n a tiv e p o p u latio n is concerned, one
m a y say t h a t It ta k e s 150.000 people
to h e rd som e 600,000 h e a d of c a ttle ,
pro d u ce £ 8.000 w o rth of c ream , a n d
grow r a th e r less k a fir c o m t h a n th ey
need fo r th e ir ow n c o n sum ption. On
t h e face of It. It Is n o t a s trik in g
reco rd o f h u m a n endeavour.
T h is failu re In n a tiv e d e velopm ent
h a s a m o u n te d to a positive stim u lu s
of d e trib a llsa tlo n by com pelling th e
trib e sm e n to sell th e ir lab o u r fo r long
p e rio d s in s p h e re s of E u ro p e an in d u s ­
try in n e ig h b o u rin g te rrito rie s. T h e
in cred ib le th in g is t h a t t h e P ro te c to ra te
G o v e rn m e n t h a s a t o ne a n d th e sam e
tim e en co u rag ed s u c h lab o u r m ig r a ­
tio n a n d s triv en to preserv e u n c h a n g ed
th e old trib a l c ustom a n d m eth o d s of
ru le. I n its ea g ern e ss to d a n c e to a ny
tu n e th e U nion c a re d to pipe, it seem s
n e v e r to h a v e perceived t h a t th e first
aim m u st be d e s tru c tiv e of th e second.
Like a n o th e r Penelope, it h a s s p e n t
th e n ig h t of its econom ic la c k of
policy solem nly u n p ick in g th e w ork
d o n e in th e d ay of its a d m in istra tiv e
Im policy—th e only diffe re n c e being
t h a t P en elope knew w h a t s h e w as
ab o u t.
th e ir c a ttle d ie In la rg e n u m b e rs from
s ta rv a tio n o r disease. F r u it a n d vege­
tab les a re a lm o st u n know n, except for
th e o ran g e s w h ich th e B a k g a tla grow
w ith f a ir success a t M ochudl. Q u a n tity
is p e rh a p s even less sa tis fa c to ry th a n
quality , fo r in th e fre q u e n t y e a rs of
d ro u g h t w hen cro p s fail o r p a rtially
fall, th e people a re left w ith Insufficient
g rain fo r th e ir n eeds a n d a re o fte n too
poor to su p p ly th e m by p u rch a se . At
such tim e s also m o st o f th e m ilk Is
needed fo r th e calves. Som e o f th e
c hiefs h a v e a tte m p te d to d e a l w ith th e
positio n by fo rb id d in g a n y m a n to sell
h is g ra in u n less h e h a s a t le a s t a
th re e y e a rs ’ reserv e In h a n d .
The
ru lin g h a s been fa irly effective In s to p ­
p in g tra d e , b u t less so In se cu rin g an
a b u n d a n ce of su p p lies; fo r n a tiv e h u s ­
b a n d ry Is su ch th a t, a m an will o ften
not b o th e r to plo u g h h is la n d s a n d put
in a crop, if h e know s t h a t h e h a s an
unco n su m ed iro n ra tio n in h is g ran a ry .
C e rta in ly th e g e n e ra l Im pression borne
In u p o n th e o b serv er a s h e w a tc h es th e
people In t h e ir v illag es Is o f th e wide
p rev alen ce o f deficiency diseases. B u t
th e w hole q u e stio n n e e d s s y ste m atic
Inv estig atio n .
D ISEA SE.
T h e scourges o f v e n e re a l d isease a n d
m a la ria a re a lso obviously h a rd a t
work, th o u g h h e re a g a in no e x a c t
s ta tis tic a l in fo rm a tio n Is a v ailab le. A
m em b e r o f th e E u ro p e an Advisory
C ouncil re c e n tly ob serv ed to h is col­
lea g u e s "I d a re s a y fu lly 20 p e r cen t,
of o u r n a tiv e p o p u la tio n a re a useless
d ra g o n th e p ro g re ss o f th e c o u n try
ow ing to t h e ir being to ta lly u n fit
th ro u g h sy p h ilis, a n d I w ould go so fa r
a s to say t h a t 70 p e r c e n t, o f th e
p o p u latio n a re e n e rv a te d a n d in som e
way d e le te rio u sly a ffected by th is
disease, t h u s lessen in g to a n a la rm in g
e x te n t th e n a tiv e ’s efficiency a n d ab ility
to e a rn a n d p ro m o te h is ow n w elfare."
O B STA C LES T O DEV ELO PM EN T.
T h e p rin c ip a l m ed ic a l officer h im se lf
A d m ittedly, n a tiv e d e v e lo p m e n t h a s h a s s ta te d In re g a rd to m a la ria . “T a k e n
been faced w ith fo rm id ab le obstacles. | a s a w hole th e s ta n d a r d o f liv in g of
T h e c o u n try Is se m i-a rid , In sp ite o f , th e B e c h u a n a la n d n a tiv e Is below t h a t
Its ric h p a s tu re s; sto c k -ra is in g a n d of m o st o f th e n a tiv e s o f S o u th A frica.
d a iry in g are . p e rh a p s, its only Im p o r­ No d o u b t m a la ria is a n I m p o rta n t c o n ­
t a n t fa rm in g p o te n tia litie s. I t is, in trib u tin g fac to r. O n e o f th e m ed ical
a n y case, rem o te fro m m ark e ts, a n d officers In h is r e p o rt sa y s o f th e n a tiv e s
tra n s p o rt c h a rg e s a re e x o rb ita n tly of h is d is tric t; ’T h e m a jo rity o f th e
hig h . I n re c e n t y e a rs p a rtic u la rly , th e peo p le a r e r o tte n w ith th e in fe c tio n
C u sto m s A g re e m e n t w ith th e U nion a n d c h ro n ic m a la ria l p a in s a r e a
h a s p ressed u n fa irly o n th e P r o te c ­ com m o n c o m p la in t/ C a n o n e w o n d er
to ra te . T h irty -fiv e y e a rs a go r in d e rp e s t t h a t w ith su c h a p h y sic a l d isa b ility
c a rr ie d off 95 p e r c e n t, of its c a ttle . a n d Its r e s u lta n t m e n ta l le th a rg y , th ey
F o r m ore th a n h a lf a c e n tu ry its h e rd s o n ly m ak e su c h e ffo rts a s will su p p ly
w ere in fe c te d w ith c o n ta g io u s p le u ro ­ th e m w ith th e ab so lu te b a re n ecessities
p n e u m o n ia . a n d th e y w ere w holly of life—th is In tu r n low ering t h e ir r e ­
fre e d fro m it only In 1927. T h u s e x p o rt sis ta n c e to m a la ria w h e n it com es th e ir
tra d e In c a ttle h a s a lw ays h a d to w ork w a y ? ”
T h e re r e m a in s th e q u e stio n o f e m i­
u n d e r h a m p e rin g re stric tio n s. E ven
W e h a v e d iscu ssed it a t
now t h a t th e te rrito ry is " c le a n '' its g ra tio n .
n e ig h b o u rs Jealously p ro te c t t h e ir own le n g th in d e a lin g w ith B a su to la n d a n d
m a rk e ts . I n su c h c irc u m sta n ce s, som e S w azilan d , a n d e n d e av o u re d to show
m ay say. w h a t w onder t h a t m a n y m en t h a t It is o n e o f th e c ru c ia l p o in ts In
h a d to m ig ra te to seek th e m e a n s of th e w hole a d m in istra tiv e a n d econom ic
co n tin u in g life e lsew h ere A nd is it n o t problem o f th e p ro te c to ra te s . I t Ls
so m e th in g to h a v e c o n q u e re d lu n g th e m a in fa c to r in d e trib a lisa tio n . a n d
sic k n e ss a n d ra ise d th e c a ttle p o p u la ­ It ls e s se n tia l fo r a n y policy w hich
a lm s a t m a in ta in in g trib a l ru le In th e
tio n to 600.000 in 35 y ears?
T h e B ritis h a u th o ritie s ste p p e d in P ro te c to ra te to dev ise som e r a tio n a l
In 1885, d e c la rin g a p ro te c to ra te a n d check u p o n it. S u c h a ch e ck is a s lm
th e ir
In te n tio n
of
in te r fe r in g as p e ra tlv e in th e In te re s ts o f th e w hole
little
as
possible
w ith
trib a l n a tiv e la b o u r fo rce o f S o u th A frican
law a n d custom .
T h e ir firs t s u b ­ In d u stry a s In th o se o f th e p ro te c to r­
s e q u e n t a c t w as to ta x th e trib e s a n d i e s c o n sid e red by them selv es. And
d e m a n d fro m th e m s o m e th in g th e y th e first ste p , w e h a v e arg u e d , m u s t
h a d n e v e r possessed—n am ely , m oney, b e to a b o lish re c ru itin g .
th u s im m e d ia te ly Im posing a p ro fo u n d
E X T E N T O F M IG R A T IO N .
m o d ificatio n of trib a l c u sto m . T h e
B e c h u a n a la n d h a s ev en less reliab le
Im p o sitio n m ig h t h a v e b e e n b a la n c e d
In
fo
rm
a tio n a s to th e e x te n t o f lab o u rby a s im u lta n e o u s o ffe r of th e m e a n s
of m ak in g m oney, i.e., by s tim u la tin g e m ig ratlo n th a n th e o th e r te rrito rie s.
N
a
tiv
e
s
lea v in g t h e te r r ito ry a r e s u p ­
trib a l econom ic d e v e lo p m e n t. I f th e
c o n d itio n s a t w h ic h w e g lan c e d in th e posed to ta k e o u t a pass, b u t In p r a c ­
p rev io u s p a ra g r a p h m ad e a n effective tice few o f th e m tro u b le to do so. T h e
f ro n tie rs a re h u g e In le n g th a n d easy
o ffe r o f t h e k in d im possible, t h e n
th e r e w as only o n e logical a lte rn a tiv e . to cro ss a t a h u n d re d p o in ts, so t h a t
th e r e Is, In fac t, n o official reco rd o f
T h a t w as to recognise t h a t th e trib e
w ould h a v e to go o u tsid e th e trib a l co m in g s a n d go in g s t h a t is a n y th in g
sy stem to a c q u ire th e m oney, a n d t h a t lik e co m plete. B u t fro m th e g e n e ra l
a c q u isitio n w ould ipso fa c to n e c e s s ita te social ev id en ce it ls p la in t h a t th e
c o u n try is d e n u d e d o f its a d u lt m ales
so m e m e a s u re of d e trib a llsa tlo n . T h is in m u ch th e s a m e p ro p o rtio n a s B asu
rec o g n itio n h a s n e v e r been m ad e by to la n d a n d S w az ila n d —t h a t Is to say.
th e P r o te c to ra te G o v e rn m e n t, w hich to th e e x te n t p ro b ab ly o f 50 o r 60
h a s c o n seq u e n tly n e v e r s o u g h t to p e r c e n t.
T h e J o h a n n e s b u r g gold
a d a p t th e trib a l sy ste m so a s to c o m ­ m in e s
a re d e b a rre d fro m
d raw in g
p e n sate fo r th e te n d e n c ie s to w a rd s lab o u r fro m reg io n s n o r th o f la titu d e
d e trib a lls a tlo n th r u s t u p o n i t a n d to 22. R o u g h ly sp eak in g , th e re fo re , th e
give i t a c h a n c e of s u b su m in g th e m B e c h u a n a people, liv in g n e a re r th e
once m o re in to Itself. T h e f a ilu re to e q u a to r t h a n Serow e. a re n o t av a ila b le
ease th e trib e 's tra n s itio n fro m a su b ­ fo r re c ru itm e n t, a n d a c tu a lly th e n u m
sisten ce econom y to a m oney econom y b ers o f B e c h u a n a w ho go to th e gold
h a s m ad e th e p re s e n t a d m in is tr a tio n m in e s a re sm a lle r rela tiv e ly to th e
of th e P ro te c to ra te th e re d u c tlo ad to ta l p o p u la tio n t h a n th e c o rre sp o n d ­
a b su rd u m o f in d ire c t rule.
in g n u m b e rs in e ith e r S w azilan d or
B a s u to la n d . B u t th is g a in Is fully off
E C O N O M IC A C T U A L IT IE S .
s e t by th e p ro x im ity o f th e d iam o n d
W e s h a ll give d e ta ile d g ro u n d s fo r w o rk in g s In th e L ic h te n b u rg a re a , a t
th is J u d g m e n t la te r. M e an w h ile it Is K im b erley a n d even In S o u th -W e st
B e c h u a n a la b o u r goes o u t
d e sira b le to look a little m ore closely A frica
a t th e econom ic a c tu a litie s of t h e day. freely, n o t o n ly to a ll th e s e a re a s , b u t
A p a rt from d ifficulties of m a rk e tin g , to th e to w n s a n d fa rm s o f th e W estth e re is a n o th e r se rio u s b ra k e on t e m T ra n sv a a l, th e N o rth e rn C ape, a n d
econom ic d e v e lo p m e n t—n a m e ly , th e b o th R h o d e sla s a s well. T h u s th e dis­
h eavy w a stag e o f m an-pow er. O f th is p e rsio n is p r e tty com plete.
T h e G o v e rn m e n t, w ith Its h a b itu a l
th e re a re six m a in c a u se s :—
p e n c h a n t fo r t h e lin e o f lea st resis­
(1) E m ig ra tio n .
tan c e . h a s a lw a y s fav o u re d th is d is ­
(2) V enereal d isease.
persio n , a s sim p lify in g th e fiscal p ro b ­
(3) M alaria.
lem ; a n d a n n u a l r e p o rt a f t e r a n n u a l
(4) M a ln u tritio n .
r e p o r t c o m p la c en tly a n n o u n c e s t h a t
(5) R e g im e n te d lab o u r.
“ t h e P r o te c to ra te o ffers a la rg e field
(6) T h e "sla v e " system .
of o p e ra tio n s for re c r u ite rs o f n a tiv e
T h e la s t tw o Item s will be discussed lab o u r fo r w ork o n th e m in e s a n d else
below in c o n n e c tio n w ith th e a d m in is ­ w h ere o u tsid e th e te rrito ry ." B u t th e ir
tra tiv e p ro b le m
As re g a rd s th e q u es­ prefe ren c e Is s h a re d by n o o n e Inside
tion of n u tritio n
no a c c u r a te survey th e te rrito ry , ex cep t, possibly, by cer
h a s been m ad e T h e s ta p le foods a re ta in tra d e rs w ho h a p p e n also to be
k a fir c o m a n d m ilk, a n d it seem s likely r e c ru ite rs a n d w ho say th ey could n o t
tha* o f th e k a fir c o m co n su m e d far keep t h e ir h e a d s above w a te r b u t for
to o h ig h a p ro p o rtio n Is ta k e n , by th e re c ru itin g fees. F o r obvious reaso n s
m en a t lea st, in th e fo rm of a stro n g ly th e m issio n a rie s o b je c t to It. M em bers
ferm en te d beer T h e people som etim es o f th e E u ro p e a n A dvisory C o u n cil hav e
kill th e ir g o a ts a n d sh e e p fo r m ea t, rep e a ted ly d ire c te d th e G o v e rn m e n t's
b u t g a m e is m u ch s c a rc e r, a n d th e rut on Mon to t h e loss w h ich la b o u r e m l
h u n ttn g -p o t
th e re fo re
m u ch
less g ra tlo n m e a n s to th e w hole te rrito ry
copiously su p p lied , t h a n once It w as 0 A n y th in g ." a s o n e m em b e r p u t it,
P ro b a b ly th e only tim e s w h en th e y a re - a n y t h i n g t h a t w ill te n d to im prove
n o t se rio u sly a b o rt o f m e a t a r e w hen t h e n a tiv e 's m e th o d o f f a n n in g a n d
keep him a t hom e, developing his own
country and no prom oting the n ative’s
true welfare, m ust react In the pros­
perity of the territory, and all o f u*
w ho live here."
TILE NATIVE A*T T IT U D .B
T h e a ttitu d e o f th e na tiv es them ­
selves ls a c ce p ta n c e o f a n evil they
see no w ay o f avoiding.
I t is quite
c e rta in t h a t very fcW o f th e m would
work a b ro a d fo r w ages if th e y could
e a rn m oney a t hom e. T h e m a in em i­
g ra tio n tak e s place In th e firs t fo u r
m o n th s of e a c h year. A good p ro p er
tlo n o f th e m ig r a n ts m an a g e to r e tu rn
In O c to b e r In tim e fo r p lo u g h in g : but
if th e y know t h a t th e y h a v e som eone
a t ho m e to plo u g h for th e m th ey o fte n
re m a in aw ay fo r m o re th a n a year.
W hen a m a rrie d m a n goes o n c o n tr a c t »
he usu ally leaves h is wife In th e
ch a rg e of
h is
p a re n ts , a n d , If
he
can,
a rra n g e s
fo r th e m
to
h e lp h e r w ith th e p lo u g h in g a n d th e
c a re of c a ttle , etc. I t n o t seldom h a p ­
p en s t h a t sh e h a s to h o ld th e plough
w hile h e r fath e r-in -la w d riv es th e
tea m : in a n y case, s h e only get* th e J
h e lp o f h e r h u s b a n d ’s re la tio n s a fte r
th e y h a v e d o n e th e ir own p lo u g h in g .!
so t h a t sh e usu ally m isses th e b e n e fit!
o f th e e a rly rain s. As re g a rd s c a t t l e , |
th e y a re o fte n very slackly ten d e d by
th e rela tiv e s, who. a f te r all. receive no
co m p e n sa tio n fo r a n y tro u b le th e y m ay
tak e .
C o n seq u en tly th e o w n er m ay
fin d on r e tu r n t h a t h is h e rd , so f a r
fro m in creasin g , h a s a c tu a lly dw indled.
O n th e o th e r h a n d , th e cost o f living
in th e tow ns of th e U n io n is to o h ig h
in re la tio n to n a tiv e w ages fo r h im to
sav e m o ney a n d m ak e u p fo r h is loss
of cattle^ I t ls a sy stem w h ic h lea d s to
dom estic' co m p lica tio n s a n d th e n e g lect
o f la n d s a n d stock, a n d so to d im in ­
ished o u tp u t.
P ro lo n g ed s e p a ra tio n s
of h u s b a n d s a n d wives h a v e a n e ffect
o n th e su rv iv a l r a te of th e trib e w h ich
no one h a s y et trie d to m ea su re a ccu ­
ra te ly . b u t w h ich m u s t b e severe. H u ­
m a n n a tu r e bein g w h a t it ls, th e m en
w hen th e y a re aw ay g e t in to tro u b le
w ith o th e r w om en, a n d th e ir wives
w ith o th e r m en . A c o n sid e rab le p e r­
c e n ta g e of th e c h ie f’s tim e is ta k e n up
in h e a rin g c a se s w h ic h a ris e o u t of
su c h difficulties.
CO M M O N SEN SE.
In g e n e ra l, th e trib a l s e n tim e n t to ­
w a rd s th e m Is o n e of free th in k in g
co m m o n sen se. I f a h u s b a n d leaves
h is wife fo r long p erio d s h e m u s t p u t
u p w ith m o d e ra te in fid e lity o n h e r
p a rt. I t ls even h e ld t h a t a w om an
sh o u ld n o t allow h e r c h ild -b ea rin g
c a p a c ity to f u s t in h e r u n u se d , even
if sh e h a s to seek th e req u ired s tim u ­
lu s from so m eo n e else th a n h e r h u s ­
b an d . In fid e lity , even w h en m ark e d
by a n “ ille g itim a te ” b irth , is n o t very
fre q u e n tly b ro u g h t fo rw ard as a g ro u n d
fo r d iv o rce; i t seem s to be reg a rd e d a s
in c id e n ta l. B u t fam ily life is o fte n
b ro k en u p by th e re s u lts of th e u n ­
w illin g n e ss of a wife w ho h a s long e n ­
joyed c o m p a ra tiv e in d ep e n d e n c e to r e - c
s u b m it h e rs e lf tam e ly to h e r h u s b a n d 's ^
a u th o rity .
O f la te y e a rs th e r e h a s also b e e n a
larg»> in c re a se in th e n u m b e rs of
c h ild re n b o m o f u n m a rrie d w om en, a
p h e n o m e n o n closely re la te d w ith th e
la b o u r-m ig ra tlo n o f so m a n y y o ung
m en
W h e n th e y o u n g m en r e tu r n
a f te r long w ork a b ro a d th e y c o h a b it
w ith t h e ir b e th ro th e d o r w ith u n ­
a tta c h e d girls, fo r w hom th e ir tra v e l­
le r’s a ssu ra n c e a n d kn o w led g e o f m en
a n d c itie s seem to h a v e a sp e cia l
a tt r a c t io n —o f th e s a m e kin d , n o d o u b t,
a s D e sd e m o n a fe lt for O th ello .
I t is
com m on en o u g h , too. fo r a y o u th to p u t
a g irl w ith c h ild a n d t h e n s lip off on
c o n tr a c t to av o id th e consequences.
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c h ie f
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w as n o h o u se h o ld
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m a n o n th e m in e s," by w h ic h h e
m e a n t t h a t In every o n e a m a n h a d
g one a b ro a d to w ork a n d n e v e r re ­
tu rn e d . O n th e a v erag e, how ever, th e
p e rc e n ta g e o f p e rm a n e n t loss th ro u g h
lab o u r e m ig ra tio n m u s t be sm a lle r
th a n th is ev id en ce su g g ests. B u t w h a t
is u n q u e stio n a b ly t r u e is th a t, w h en
th e m en co m e b a c k , th e y com e back
d issa tisfie d in m in d a n d o u t o f love
w ith th e old trib a l life.
T hey have
a c q u ire d ta s te s in food, c lo th lu g a n d
a m u s e m e n ts ^yhlch trib a l life offers
n o m e a n s o f sa tisfy in g . T h e loss of a
ste a d y c a sh incom e is a th in g th e y feel
heav ily , fo r th o u g h trib a l econom y
d oes n o t y e t w ork o n a c a s h basis,
th e p rese n c e of w h ite t ra d e rs In trib a l
a re a s does Involve th e te m p ta tio n a n d
th e o p p o rtu n ity to sp en d m o n ey w ith ­
o u t a n y g e n e ra l p o ssib ility o f e a rn in g
it. A m a n In em p lo y m en t c a n buy a
new p a ir o f tro u s e rs every six m o n th s :
liv in g in th e trib e h e m a y h a v e to
w e a th e r a n In te rv a l o f tw o y e a rs b e ­
tw een p a irs . T h e th in g to u c h e s h is
p e rs o n a l p ride. S u c h a n In sta n c e m ay
seem triv ia l, b u t c lo th e s a r e o f q u ite
ab s u rd Im p o rta n c e t o th e sem i-d etriba lise d n a tiv e ; a n d triv ia litie s o f th e
k in d m o u n t u p in th e a g g re g a te to th e
d e tr ib a lis a tio n p ro b lem , w h ich is n o t
triv ia l a t all.
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T H E C H IE F S .
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th e m in e s o r a n y o th e r s p h e re s o f outsid e e m p lo y m en t fo r t h e i r m e n , a n d
th e y a r e In clin ed o n ly to l e t m e n go in ire tu m a trib u te o f £1 w h e n th e
as a l a s t r e s o r t w h e n ta x e s a n d levies boy co m es h o m e a t th e e n d o f h is
c a n n o t b e g o t o u t o f th e m In a n y c o n tra c t.
I t is t h e well-defined p o licy o f the
o th e r w ay
B u t In s p e cia l c irc u m ­
c h ie fs to d isc o u ra g e the e m ig ra tio n of
s ta n c e s th e r u le m a y be d e p a rte d fro m
A t le a s t o n e c h ie f m a k e s u se o f th e w o tn en a s f a r a s th e y p ossibly c a n .
m in e s a s a k in d o f p e n a l s e ttle m e n t, O u e o f th em , indeed, w ould o n ly a g re e
ca llin g u p b a tc h e s o f p eo p le h e d islik es t o th e e x te n sio n of th e ro a d m otor
o r d isa p p ro v e s o f fro m tim e to tim e, serv ice to h is te rrito ry o n c o n d itio n
a n d se n d in g th e m off ; a n d n o d o u b t t h a t h is ow n trib e sm e n w ere em ployed
In th is p la n h e c o -o p e ra te s n o t u n p ro - as c o n d u c to rs to *eo t h a t wom en of
fita b ly w ith th e r e c ru itin g a g e n t I t th e trib e sh o u ld not u s e th e service ad
ls a p p lie d esp ecially to th o se w ho a re a m e a n s o f leaving th e territory; h e
m o re t h a n th re e y e a rs In a r r e a r s w ith w as ev en a t p a in s to com e to an und er­
s ta n d in g w ith the s ta tio n m aster o f
th e ir h u t ta x ; In t h e i r c a se It ls p e r
h a p s th o u g h t o f c h iefly a s a w ay th e n e a re s t station o n th e railw a y , by
of
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im p riso n ­ w h ich tic k e ts to d e s tin a tio n s o u tsid e
m ent.
by ‘ t h e
G o v e rn m e n t.
In th* P r o te c to ra te sh o u ld n o t b e issued
c e r ta in trib e s, also, th e r e is a cu sto m to w om en.
B u t in spite o f th ese lim ita tio n s and
k n o w n a s s e th la k o . by w h ich th e c h ie f
giv es e a ch r e c r u it 5s. fo r food o n th e p r e c a u tio n s roost of th e m en between
jo u rn e y to J o h a n n e s b u rg , a n d receives th e ag es of 20 s n d O d o go abroad to
w o rk ; and they are followed, though
In sm aller n u m b ers, by wom en.
<To be c o n tin u e d .)
(Continued in next column.)
AFFAIRS IN BECHUANALAND |
PROTECTORATE
I. -THE PROBLEM OF MATERIAL AND
MENTAL POVERTY
BY A S P E C IA L C O R R K SI'O N D K N T
T h e BcchuH iia dllT er fro m th e so u th e a s le m C a n tu In liv in g In la rg e
Villages, o r tow ns a s o n e m ig h t a lm o st
ca ll th e m . A s a con seq u e n ce o f th is
p e c u lia rity . th e ir fa rm in g eco n o m y ex­
M ealies a n d m e a l . . . £3.431
W h e a t a n d m e al .
3.372
presse s Itse lf d la g ra m m a tlc s lly na a
G e n e ra l m e rc h a n d ise .
73.81se rie s o f c o n c e n tric circles. T h e bull'sU u n d r i e s .........................
3.00ft
eye U th e village ltn c lf, th e s c a t o f Ih c
T o t a l ....................... £62.063
c h ie f a n d th e h e a d q u a rte r s of th e tribe.
B ro a d ly sp e ak in g . Ih c v illag e Is th e
EX PO RTS.
hom e, th e o n e p e rm a n e n t h o m e v of th e
K u flr c o m . . . .
£380
people, w ho. h ow ever, a re a c c u sto m e d
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to le a v e It, a t th e c h ie f 's o rd e r
C o t t l e ....................................
34,330
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3.184
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th e
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PI,259
S k in s (sh e e p a n d g o a ts)
309
nlde th e lim its of th o v illag e In a
ro u g h ly c irc u la r b e lt, w h ic h m a y be 12
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.....................
3.294
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1.870
la n d s o f th e tr ib e : b eyo n d th e m is u
m u c h b r o a d e r b e lt o f c u ttle p o sts a n d
T o t a l ............................. £85.073
p a s tu r e s ; a n d beyond th e m a g a in th e
T h e p o p u la tio n o f th e rese rv e m a y
h u n tin g s ta tio n s o f th e r ic h e r m e m b ers be ta k e n a s so m e w h ere a b o u t 00.000.
of th e in tu ­
T h e ta b le o f e x p o rts , b ein g co m p iled
i t w as p ro b a b ly fo r g e o g ra p h ica l fro m tr a d e r s ' r e tu r n s , d o e s n o t Include
re a s o n s t h a t th e B c c h u a n a d e p a r te d in c re a m s e n t d ir e c t to th e c re a m e ry ; but,
th is w ay fro m com m o n B a n tu c u sto m . w h en a llo w an c e Is m a d e f o r th e omltt- ;
T h e trib e s a r e n o t very n u m e ro u s slo n . It Is c le a r t h a t th e e x p o rts d o n o t
g ro u p s —th e ir a v e ra g e s tr e n g th is well a m o u n t to m o re th a n £ 1 p e r h e a d Of
u n d e r 30.000; a n d th e to ta l te rr ito r y th e p o p u la tio n .
th e y o ccupy I* th e b e st p a r t o f 300.000
A cco rd in g lo th e ab o v e fig u re s th e re
s q u a re m iles. T h e y a re th u s b u t a few Ls a su r p lu s o f Im p o rts o f £27.011. So
g r a in s o l h u m a n ity d o tte d a b o u t o n a f a r a s th e n a tiv e s a re c o n ce rn e d , th e
H uge e x p a n se of ste p p e . T h e c o u n try Is tr u e a d v e rse b o la n ce Is not, a s h e a v y
n o t su fficie n tly b ro k en u p In to h ill a s th is , b e ca u se, w h ile th e e x p o rt
a n d d a le to th r o w pe ople n a tu ra lly In to fig u res r e p r e s e n t p u re ly n a tiv e p ro d u c ­
c o m p a c t g roups. I f e a c h trib e w ere to tio n a n d tr a d e , th e Im p o rt fig u res In­
s p r e a d lu e lf m o re o r less ev en ly o v e r c lu d e sto c k b ro u g h t in b y th e tr a d e r s
u ie w hole tr ib a l a re a , th e c h i e f s c o n ­ fo r sa le lo th e h a n d f u l o f E u ro p e a n
tr o l w ould be g re a tly w ea k en e d , h is r e s id e n ts In th e rese rv e . B u t e v en so,
a d m in is tra tiv e tro u b le s w o u ld b e in ­ th e tr u e b a la n c e a g a in s t th e n a tiv e s
c re a se d , a n d t h a t close c o h e sio n a n d m u s t b e q u ite c o n sid e ra b le . I t m u s t be
.solidarity w h ic h It h o s a lw a y s b e en a r e m e m b e re d a lso
t h a t th e n a tiv e
g o v e rn in g p rin c ip le w ith th e c h ie f s to p o p u la tio n h a s to r a is e a n a n n u a l
m a in ta in w ould be last- T h e villag e f u n d o f so m e £410,000 in re sp e c t of
sy ste m w ith its c o n c e n tric r in g s is ^ G o v e rn m e n t ta x a tio n a n d tr ib a l levies.
d o u b tle s s a n a tte m p t to s u r m o u n t th e se K in th e a g g re g a te , th e re f o re . It h a s
d ifficulties.
I t s c o n v en ie n ce fro m th e ■ la b ilitie s
a m o u n tin g
to
b e tw ee n
s ta n d p o in t of th e c h ie f Is o b v io u s, a n d ■ £40.000 a n d £50.000 m o re th a n It c a n
th ro u g h o u t th e p e rio d o f B r itis h p ro ­ ■ m e e t fro m th e p ro c e e d s o f Its e x p o rte d
te c tio n th e c h ie f h a s s h a re d t h a t c o n ­ ■ p ro d u ce , T h e s e 'e x c e s s lia b ilitie s a re
v e n ie n c e w ith th e tr a d e r , th e mission-1■ p re su m a b ly m e t b y w ag e s e a r n e d ln a r y a n d . to som e e x te n t, th e B r itis h " s ld e a n d o u tsid e th e te rr ito r y a n d by
A d m in is tra tio n .
I n th e o ld d a y s th e In d e b te d n e s s I n c u rre d w ith th e s to r e ­
p e o p le d id n o t le av e th e v illag e to k eep e rs.
p lo u g h o r r e a p u n til th e c h ie f g a v e th e
w ord o f c o m m a n d : a n d u p o n h is w ord
P U R C H A S IN G P O W E R .
a lso th e y d e siste d fro m r e a p in g m id
ploughing:, a n d r e tu r n e d h o m e .
T h is
O n th o w h o le , th e p u r c h a s in g p o w er
d r ill Is s till la rg e ly I n fo rc e to -d ay .
o f th e B a m a n g w a to d o cs n o t se e m to
be o n th e In crea se. I n th e la s t c ouple
T H E H ERD BOYS
o f y e a rs, e sp ec ially , th e n a tiv e s h a v e
S u c h a m o d e o r c o m m u n a l life h a s b e en b a d ly h i t by th e fall o f p ric e s fo r
o n e a c c o m p a n im e n t w h ic h Is o l g r e a t c a ttle a n d h id e s ; a n d b e c a u se o f low er
im p o r ta n c e In m o d e m c o n d itio n s, i t p ric e s th e y a re d isp o sin g o f few er
m e a n s t h a t th e c a ttl e p o sts, re m o te b e asts. O th e r so u r c e s o f re v e n u e , too,
o s th e y a r e f ro m th e v illa g e c e n tr e a r e d r y in g u p . su c h a s th e sa le o f w ild
a n d t h e m a in life o t th e trib e , h a v e a n im a l s k in s a n d o s tr ic h f e a th e r s ; u
' t o b e m a n n e d by p e o p le w h o c a n see g o o d lio n 's sk in u se d t o f e tc h £ 1 0 . b u t
t h a t th e s to c k a re p ro p e rly g raz ed n o w a d a y s It se ld o m g o e s fo r m o re th a n
a n d w a te r e d , th e c a lv e s fed . a n d th e £ 3 10s . m id th e re Is m u c h less g a m e
cow # m ilk e d . T r ib a l c u sto m h a s d e ­ th a n th e re u s e d to be. A tte m p ts to
r id e d t h a t th is w o rk s h a ll b e d o n e in c a se th e p r e s s u r e a r e m a d e , a s we
■th e m a in by th e y o u th s w h o h a v e n o t n o tic e d , by re m o v tn g a w n y fro m S e ro w e
yet, b e e n fo rm e d in to a r eg im en t/—by to th o la n d s a n d th e c a ttl e p o sts w h e re
y o u th s , t h a t Is. w h o se a g e s m a y ran g e liv h ig is le ss e x p e n siv e : a lso by se llin g
I f ro m 12 t o 34.
T h e h e r d b o y s a rc c re a m , a n d b y tr a n s p o r t r id in g w ith
'p i v o ta l in th e e c o n o m ic lif e o f th e w ag o n s, o f w h ic h q u ite a n u m b e r a re
o w n e d a m o n g th e B a m a n g w a to ,
A
tr ib e .
N a tu ra lly , th e y a re re lie v e d fro m d a iry c o sts p e rh a p s £ 2 0 0 to p u t u p .
tln l e to tim e , th e fre q u e n c y o f r e lie fs a n d a good m a n w ith a siz e a b le h e rd
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n u m b e r o f a v a ila b le y o u th s a n d th e m u c h a s £ 3 0 u m o n th in th e se a so n
n u m b e r o f c a ttl e p o sts. B u t in m o st a n d fro m a th i r d lo a h a lf o f t h a t
B u t d a iry in g
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in flu e n c e s.
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• g a in , th e y d o c o m e h a m c . th e y co m e th is , T h e o u tla y o n a w ag o n , o n Uie
w ith se x u a l h u n g e r e x tre m e ly k e en set, o th e r h a n d , to g e th e r w ith tr e k g e a r
I ttn d th e y look, in c o n q u e r in g m o o d , to a n d a s p a n o f 10 o x en , c a n n o t be m u c h
t h e v illa g e m a id e n s f o r its a p p e a se - le w th a n th e c o st o f a d a iry , y e t th e
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}n o t, th e n u n w illin g I t Lakes a g h re w d l t h a n so m e £ 3 0 u y e a r . P ro b a b ly m a n y
I g ir l t o d o d g e th e ir a rd o u r . M e n s tr u a § w ag o n -o w n e rs w o u ld d o w ell to d isp o se
o f th i-lr w a g o n s a n d b u ild d a irie s
1 v e t th e p r e te x t h a s a w e a k n e ss—t h e in s te a d .
e s s e n tia l I m p e r m a n e n c e o f I ts v a lid ity .
O n b a la n c e , it a p p e a rs lik e ly t h a t
I B u t th e sy s te m h a s o th e r n n d m o re th e n a tiv e c o m m u n ity , e v e n a t p r e s e n t
w irlo u s so c ial effect*. II m a k e? It e x tr a ­ s ta n d a r d s , is liv in g b e y o n d i t s In co m e
o r d in a r ily h a r d to b r in g th e boys u n d e a tin g In to c a p lta L
T h e r e ls
• w ith in t h e r a n g e o f e d u c a tio n . T h a t e v id en c e, to o . t h a t o i l a te y e a r s s ta n ­
i n its o l/ w o u ld be b a d e n o u g h in th e d a r d s h a v e d ro p p e d .
f o r e x a m p le ,
g e n e r a l c irc u m s ta n c e s o f to -d ay , a l- tr a d e r s o n c e n e v e r th o u g h t it w o rth
I th o u g h i t w o u ld n o t u p s e t a n y U n d e n t w h ile to s to c k a n y a rtic le below l s . I n
' e a u llib rlu m o f th e tr ib e . B u t it is n o t p ric e ; to -d u y th e y a r e o b lig e d to sto c k
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1m a in b e n e fits o f th e e d u c a tio n a l e ffo rts o f tr a d e ta k e s p la c e in th e m .
' o f m is s io n a r ie s a n d G o v e r n m e n t f a ll to
P la in ly , th e r u t is d e ep , a n d I t w ill
• h e g irls. A v erag e sc h o o l a tte n d a n c e s b e h a r d w o rk g e ttin g ih e n a tiv e s o u t
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w o rk w h ic h c a lls f o r th e p e rso n a l, th e
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m a n y s t a r t to o o ld t o r e a p fu ll p ro sit c a n n o t g iv e
O n e w ish e s so m e tim e s
f ro m Its In flu en c e. T h is is * s itu a tio n
t h a t th e m is sio n s co u ld w id e n th e
w h ic h re a lly d o e s b id f a ir to s h a k e th e
A d d itio n a l b a la n c e o f fo rc e s w ith in th e | sc o p e o f t h e i r a c tiv itie s , o r g iv e th e m
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I s i t im p o ssib le t h a t
e d u c a te d e n d h a lf th e m e n u n e d u c a te d p o r t a n t fac t
I* a p o in t w h ic h h a s n o t y e t b een t h e e c o n o m ic m issio n s h o u ld m a k e Its
TRP h e ed f o r tr a in e d
U lfflclcnU y c o n sid e re d In t h e H ig h a p p e a r s f i r c r
w o rk e rs h i th e e c o n o m ic field Ls v e ry
C o m m issio n te rrito rie s!.
g r e a t— m e n n n d w o m e n w h o sh o u ld
liv e i n th e s a m e clo se a n d frie n d ly
L E A V IN O T H E V IL L A G E S .
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I t m a y b e s a id t h a t g e o g ra p h ic a l
t h a P r o te c to ra te '* b e h a lf to w a rd s th e
p o sitio n , h u g e a re a a n d s c a tt e r e d p o p u ­
eo a l o f a p r e lim in a ry su rv ey , th e
la tio n . a n d th e p a u c ity o f tra ffic o n
o ffe r m a k e It In e v ita b le t h a t B e c h u a n a ­
la n d s h o u ld p a y th r o u g h th e n o se f o r
tra n s p o rt
A n d c e r ta in ly It is tr u e
th a t lo w er c h a r g e s o n d In c re a se d traffic
a r e m u tu a lly In te r d e p e n d e n t. A t th e
sa m a tim e i t c a n n o t be m a in ta in e d t h a t
th e p r « w n t sy ste m r e p r e a e n u th e p r a c ­
tic a l o p tim u m
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e co n o m y f o r th e P r o te c t o r a te t o o p e ­
r a te its o w n r o a d se rv ic e s o n lln ea
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re p a ir sn--p» a n d p o ssibly a lo c al a s ­
se m b ly p la in , a n d e v e n tu a lly p e rh a p s
Ita ow n roU in«"aloek o n th o ra ilw a y s
f tu e h a b u a rd • v u l d n o t o n ly bn retp o n sib la f o r r o a d m o to r se rv ic e s; u
w o u ld h* rm p o n aib te a lap foe
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AFFAIRS IIN BECHUANALAND
PROTECTORATE
IV. THE PROBLEM OF THE POWERS
OF CHIEFS
Bi* A SP E C IA L C O im E K rO N D r.N T .
T h e m a in problem * In th o three
H ig h C o m m issio n t e r r i t o r y * m a y be
view ed from tw o s n g lc s, th e e c o n o m ic
a n d th e a d m in istr a tiv e
A nd In a ll
th r ee th e •c o n o m la s l t u s t l o n Is g e n e
ra lly sim ila r
T h e u o m m a y a lso bo
(Kid o r tlie S d m ln ls tra tlv e iti u n u o n ;
b u t th s B e ch u a n a la n d P r o te c to ra te
h a s » sp ec ia l In terest, a tn c e th e re th e
p ro b lem s o l a d m in is t r a tio n , c o m m o n
n lv j to B a su to la n d an d S w a z ila n d in
ih o lr d e g re e* . s u n d o u t m m o e t c o n ­
sp icu o u s relief
A t th e h e a r t o f th e a d m in is t r a tiv e
p roblem lie s t h e c h ie f ta in s h ip . T h is
v enerab le in s t itu tio n , o n w h ic h , fo r
e en tu rlc s th e w h o le ir tb n l sy s te m h a s
c en tr ed . h a s s o f a r m a d e l it tle p r o ­
g r e s s In a d a p ta tio n t o m o d e m c o n d l
tlo n .v a n d w ith e v e ry p a s s in g y e a r th e
re s u lt* a c c o m p a n y in g i t s f a ilu re beo o m e m o r e u n f o r t u n a te . T h e f a c t h a *
b e e n o b v io u s to
e v ery c o m p e te n t
o b s e rv e r th r o u g h o u t th e ris e o l In ­
d u stria lism in th e D n lo n , t h a t la to
s a y , f o r th e la s t 30 y e a rs.
Y et no
c o h e r e n t a t t e m p t h a s t>een m n d e to
m e e t IU R e s p o n s ib le B r itis h A d m ln la
tra to rs
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m uch
o b s tin a c y to th e d o c tr i n e o f • f e s l l n a
l e n t * " t h a t th e q u e s tio n n o w is
w h e t h e r e n o u g h tim e r e m a in s t o p u t
s t r a i g h t t h e m e sa to w h ic h t h e ir
F a b ia n p r o c e d u re h a s le d . T h e s ltu a
t lo n h a s o u tp a c e d th e m , s n d In th e
c u s c o l th e B e c h u a n a l a n d P r o te c to r
a t e I t se e m s t h a t th in g s w ill h a v e to
g e t w o rse b e fo r e th e y c a n g o t b e tte r
A t le a s t. It Is c le a r t h a t t o d a y tim e
la th o e sse n c e o f th e p ro b le m , a n d t h a t
so m e o n e m u s t " f e s t l n a r e " I n good
e arn e st, if I t Is t o b e solv e d .
p h y sic a lly str e n g th e n e d b u t m orally
w ea k en ed b y th e O o v e m m e n t w hich
s ta n d s b e tw e e n h im an d th e c o n se ­
q u e n c e s o r f a ilu re o r n e g le ct. "W e used
to g e t b e l t e r c h ie f s In th e old days" is
a c o m p la in t fre q u e n tly hea rd from
i n te lli g e n t n a tlv e a in th e protecto ra tes.
B u ttre s s e d u p b y th e B r itish R a j, a
c h ie f h s s b e e n a b le to d o very m uch
a s h e lik e d . H is c o u n c il h a v e beoom em e re c o u r ti e r s a n d fla tta r e r * . se lec ted
by h im s e lf a s b e in g e a sy to o ls t o work
w ith ; a n d I t h a s beco m e sa fe to Ignore
th o m a in b o d y o f th e trib e P a ra d o x i­
c ally . o n e e ffe c t o f Britlah pro tectio n
h a s b e en to m a k e t rib a l rule n o t o n ly
le ss se lf-su ffic ie n t ( t h a t w a s p erh a p s
I n e v ita b le ), b u t a c tu a lly h a r sh er a n d
m o re c a p r ic io u s . T h e r e h a s t h u s been
a re a l lo ss o f p e rs o n a l fre e d o m a m ong
th e B e c h u a n a s in c e th e B r itish ca m e.
P o ssib ly S o u th A fr ic a n h is to ry m ay
s u g g e s t t h a t th e lo ss w o u ld h a v e b e e n
g r e a te r h a d B r iti s h
p r o te c tio n b e en
w ith h e ld ; b u t th e B r iti s h A d m in istra to r
c a n n o t b e c o m in g ly m a k e tu e o f th e
p le a .
T H E FER M ENT.
C o n c u r re n tly . i h c In d u s tr ia lis m o f
th e
U n io n h a s b e co m e a d o m i­
n a n t f a c to r l u th e lif e o r th e trib e s.
A la rg e p r o p o rtio n o f th e a d u lt m a le s
g o o u t e a c h y e a r I n to th e U n io n to
w o rk , w ith th e m o r a l a n d so c ia l c o n ­
se q u e n c e s a lr e a d y
In d ic a te d .
T h ere
th e y b e c o m e f a m ilia r w ith a w ag e a n d
l i b o u r s y s te m o f th e W e s te r n ty p e , a n d
ste e p e d in th e f e r m e n t o f Id e a s a n d
th e m e n ta l
u n r e s t In w h ic h w agee a r n e r s th e w h o le w o rld o v e r to -d u v
h n v e t h e i r b e in g .
T h e tre n d s o f
t h o u g h t u iu s s e t u p o f te n le a d n a ­
T H E ID E A L C H I E F .
tiv e s w h o a r e s till r e g a rd e d a s u n so ­
B e fo re w e s te r n e c o n o m ic o r g a n is a
p h is t ic a te d m u c h f a r t h e r o fleld th a n
tlo n e s ta b lis h e d U s p r e s e n t d o m in a n c e th e ir w h ite r u le r s a r e g e n e r a lly a w a re .
In S o u t h e r n A fric a, t h e Id e a l o f c h ie fly D u rin g a r e c e n t to u r o f t h e B e c h u a n a
r u le w a s n o t Ill-su ite d t o th e s o m e ­ c o u n tr y I w a s a s k e d
p e r ta ic n t q u e s ­
w h a t s t a g n a n t lif e th e B a n tu h a d tio n s s b o u t o n o C a r d in a l W o lsey . w h o
e v o lv ed fo r th e m se lv e s. T h e c h lc f w as h o d c o m e to g r ie f in a tte m p tin g th e
s e m i m y s tic a lly r e g a rd e d a lm o s t m tn e
s im u lta n e o u s
* » rv lce o f P o p e
and
I n c a r n a tio n o f th e so u l o f t h e trib e . K in g , a n d
o b o u t a c e r to ln
K in g
H e w as th e liv in g lin k b e tw e e n a n ­ C h a r le s I ., w h o h a d b e en b e h e a d e d b y
c e s to r s a n d p o s te r ity , a t o n c e th e sy m
th e peop'.e, I r o u n d a m o n g th e m o r e
bo! a n d th e v e h ic le o f t h e tr ib e s co n
in te llig e n t m e n a n u r e x p e c te d I n te r e s t
tln u lty , I n th e p r a c tic a l s p h e re , In th e
In th e c o u rs e o f E n g lis h p o litic s ! h is ­
re lig io u s, so c ia l a n d p o litic a l lif e of to r y —in t h e p a s s a g e o f p o w er fro m
th e tr ib e , h e w a s s u p r e m e —h i g h p r ie s t th e C ro w n t o th e a ris to c r a c y , fro m
a n d r a in m a k e r , le g is la tu r e , J u d ic ia ry
th e a r is to c r a c y t o
th e
b o u rg eo isie,
a n d e x e c u tiv e a ll In o n e . l i e w a s b o th f ro m th e b o u ig e o ls le to t h e p r o le t a r ia t ,
C h a n c e llo r o f th e E x c h e q u e r a n d
a n d th e y w ere f r a n k ly s p e c u la tin g a bout,
C o m p tro lle r a n d A u d ito r - G e n e r a l. All t h e p o ssib ility o r tr ib a l d e v e lo p m e n t
th e i m p o r ta n t a g r ic u ltu r a l p h a s e s of f o llo w in g c o m p a r a b le lin e s In th e d ir e c ­
tr ib a l Ilf* w ere r e g u la te d b y h im . a n d
tio n o r a n a c c e ssio n o r d ig n it y to r th o
n o m a n m ig h t b e g in to p lo u g h o r to
c h le r s , to g e th e r w ith
a re a p p o rtio n r e a p till th e c h lc f g a v e t h e w o rd
m m i o r e ffe c tiv e p o w e r o n s o m e w tu t
H e a d s o f famUlA * w ere r e sp o n sib le to d e m o c r a tic p rin c ip le s .
h im th r o u g h th e s u b c h ie f o f t h e ir
W h e n t h e B e c h u a n a o r e D ot se llin g
d is t r ic t, f o r a ll a c ta o f t h e m e m b e r s t h e i r la b o u r to E u r o p e a n s , th e y liv e b y
o f t h e i r fa m ilie s : a n d th e y w ere a lso d is p o s in g o f t h e i r c a ttl e , g r a in a n d
J u d lo la l c o u r ts o f f ir s t I n s ta n c e , fro m
d a lr v p r o d u c e i n
E u r o p e a n m a rk e ts .
w h ic h a p p e a ls la y to th e h ig h e r c o u rt*
T h i s fa c t, in t u m . Is im p l a n ti n g a n e w
o f th e s u b - c h ie f a n d t h e c h ie f
A t s p ir it o f I n d iv id u a lis m in th e trib e s.
t h e s a m e tim e , th e r e w e re o ck n o w T n e r c a r e la rg e n u m b e rs o f s m s l l f a r m
le d g ed r e s t r a i n t s u p o n th e c h i e f s o rb l
d a ir i e s in th e B a m a n g w a to rese rv e ,
trary c a p r ic e . H e w m e x p e c te d to use
t o r e x a m p le , a n d m o s t o r th e m a ra
a n y s u r p lu s w e a lth t h a t c a m e h is w ay
r u n b y p r iv a t e e n te r p r is e . T h u s e v en
In th e in te r e s ts o f th e tr ib e —c.g _ b y
a m o n g th o s e w h o h a v e
never been
a llo c a tin g c a ttl e to t h e p o o r e r m e m
b o n f o r t h e i r su b s is te n c e
H e » a s j o 'Jtsld tf n e c h u a n a la n d a c la s s is s p r in g ­
in g u p w ith a n a w a re n e s s o f n e w n o ­
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p o litic a l lib e r ty .
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r e c o g n ise d
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y o u n g e r g e n e r a ti o n o r B a n tu a ll o v e r
r o y a l h e a d m e n w h o w e re r e g u la r ly
S o u t h e r n A fric a Is a n a n ti- E u r o p e a n
c o n s u lte d a s a m a t t e r o f c o u rse :
se c o n d , a s o m e w h a t w id e r
c o u n c il, s e n tim e n t u n k n o w n to t h e i r f o re b e a rs .
T h e B e c h u a n a y o u th h a v e n o t es­
c o m p ris in g th e r o y a l h e a d m e n re
in fo rc e o by s u c h d is t r ic t s u b c h ie f s a s c a p e d t h i s In flu en c e, a n d In th e m tn e
h a p p e n e d t o be a ff e c te d by th o m a tte r o ld tr lb e -c a n s c io u s n e s s is b » ln g s u p p le ­
m e n te d a n d p e r h a p s s u p e rs e d e d b y a
a t Issu e ; a n d th ir d , a n e cc lesla o f th e
n o v e l con so lT O sn css o f ra c e . T n e ? a re
w h o le tr ib e . H e h a d r e g u la r ly to h o ld
lo o k in g g ro p in g ly f o r r a c e le a d e rs h ip ,
a k g o tla o r p u h llc a sse m b ly , a t w h ic h
a w a itin g a r a c e le a d e r ; a n d th o u g n
a ll a f f a i r s o f S t a t e c o u ld be d isc u sse d
th e y d o n o t y e t
b u h o ld
h im . i t Is
a n d w h e r e e v e ry m e m b e r o f th e tr ib e
h a r d ly to o m u c h to s a y t h a t th e y ree l
w s s f r r e to e x p re s s h i s o p in io n , a n d
su b c o n sc io u sly t h a t th e c h le ts a re p o ­
t h e k g o tU w a s e ff e c tiv e e n o u g h its a n
te n tia lly s u b o r d in a te , a s It w ere, t o th e
o r g a n o f p u b lic s e n tim e n t f o r th e a n
th r o p o lo g ls ts t o b e a b le to s p e a k o f [ sh a d o w h e c a s ts
th e p o litic a l s y s te m o f t h e B e c h u a n a
B R I T I S H P R O T E C T IO N .
a s t h e m o st d e m o c r a tic k n o w n a m o n g
B a n tu p e o p les.
F u r t h e r , t h e tr ib e s
T h e e ffo rt o f B r itla h p r o te c tio n , th e n ,
h a v e a lw n v s h a d a n I n n a te te n d e n c y
h a s b e en u n w ittin g ly to c u t off th e ru le
to
be
fls s ip a r o u s .
p r e te n d e r s
or
o l tile c h ie f s f r o m t h e d e m o c r a tic
u s u r p e r s In th e fo rm o f t h e c h ie f ’s fo rc e s w h ic h o n c e h e lp e d In g u id in g It.
so n s, y o u n g e r b r o th e r s a n d *o o n w ere
s n d to t r a n s f o r m i t I n to o sim p le
c o n tin u a lly c ro p p in g
u p . *o t h a t a
t y r a n n y ; In s e e k in g to s h ie ld I t fro m
c h ie f c o u ld o n ly p r e v e n t th e d lsin
c h a n g e th e B r itis h h a v e p r e c ip ita te d
t e g r s tlo n o f th e tr ib e a n d t h e c o n se
Its d e ca y .
A n d . sim u lta n e o u s ly w ith
q u e n t c o lla p s e o f h i s o w n p m s tlg e n n d
th is
m o v e m e n t to w a r d s a u to c r a c y
a u th o r i ty b y r v r r y l n e t h e la rg e b o d y
w ith in th e tr ib e , t h e d e v e lo p m e n t o f
o l th e p u b lic w ith h im .
th e g e n e r a ) e c o n o m ic s it u a ti o n tn
S o u t h A fric a h a s p ro d u c e d a c o n te x t
T R I B E A N D T R IB E S M A N .
in w h ic h a n a u to c r a t ic c h ie f ta in s h ip
O b v io u sly , s u c h a s y s te m Is c a p a b le b m o r e a n d m o r e o u t o f p la ce .
S u c h Is th e p r e d ic a m e n t In th e m id s t
o f b e a r in g v e ry h a r d ly o n th e In d iv i­
o f w h ic h t h e c h lc f s i t s t o d a y , lik e a
d u a l s u b je c t : a n d th e c a r e e r s o f e v en
c h ild o n a s a n d c a s tl e tn a flo w in g
b e n e v o le n t ilespo'.s. s u c h a s K h a m a a n d
tid
e . T h « o b se rv e r c a n n o t h e lp fe e lin g
L ln c h w e .s h o w t h a t It o f te n h a s b e en
a g o o d d e a l o f s y m p a th y f o r h im . L e f t
so, B u t in d iv id u a l ln c o n r c n lg n c r s a n d
b u r d e n * w e re o n th e w h o le a c c e p te d la rg e ly to h is o w n d e v ic e s b y th o
B r itla h a u th o r i tie s a n d r e c e iv in g little
b y a p a tie n t p u b lic a s p a r t o f t h o In ­
e v ita b le w e a r a n d t e a r o f lif e a n d a s p o sitiv e le a d in g fro m t h r m (e x c e p t in
e n jo y in g ,
b e in g In th e g e n e r a l I n te r e s t o f th e p u r e ly te c h n ic a l m a t t e r s '
tr ib e
A n d c e r ta i n ly , u n t i l th e im p a c t m o re o v e r, a m e re v e n e e r o f e d u c a tio n ,
w h ic h In q u ite I n a d e q u a te t o e n a b le
w ith w h ite c iv ilis a tio n , t h e s y s te m d id
h im to g r a p p le u n d e r s t a n d i n g ^ w ith
fu lfil w ell e n o u g h Ita p r im a r y fu n c tio n
th e p o s itio n h im s e lf , b e d r if t* in a
o f tc a te r in g s tr o n g
tr ib a l s o lid a r ity .
I a n d s o p r o v id in g m a c h in e r y f o r p r e ­ v e ry r e a l b e w ild e r m e n t. T h e d ile m m a
Is in a w ay a c c e n tu a te d b y t h e a c r ls e rv in g th e tr ib e 's in d e p e n d e n c e a n d
d
e n t t h a t th e p r e s e n t c h ie f s o f s l l th e
I n c r e a s in g . If t h a t m ig h t b e . I ts r e n o w n
m o s t I m p o r ta n t trib e * a re v e ry y o u n g
a m o n g Its n e ig h b o u rs .
E v en to -d ay .
w h e n t h e c h ie f s a r e c o m in g In f o r a m e n . th e y h a v e a ll b e e n a t sc h o o l in
t h e U n io n a n d th e r e a b s o rb e d th e n e w
g o o d d e a l o f c ritic is m f ro m t h e i r o w n
p e o p le , th e r e s ti ll su rv iv e * m u c h o f th e B a n tu r a c e -c o n sc lo u sn e s* . w h ic h In
t h e i r e s s e a n d In th e g e n e r a l c irc u m ­
o ld p o p u la r f a i t h In t h e tr ib e a ^ a n
s ta n c e s o f t h e P r o te c t o r a te m a n ife sts
i u lti m a t e a to m ic u n i t a n d In th e c n le f
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AN O L D S Y S T E M .
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t h e M a s a r w a w e re e v e r s la v e s u> th e
d e n t, a n d t h e la te C h .e f S c k g tm a .
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h e c a n o n ly f in d m e m w ith h i s m a s te r. e v id e n c e t h a t , b e s id e s flo g g in g , o t h e r
m e th o d s In u se a r e th e c u ttin g o ff o f
E C O N O M IC F U N C T IO N .
f in g e r s w ith a n a x e . m e b u r n in g o f
h a n d s , a n d th e b r a n d in g o f fle s h w ith
T h e B a k g a l a g a d l in th e m o d e rn
n h o t Iro n . A f t e r m u ti la t io n o r to r ­
B l a i t a r e a m e i e n i i a t e d m o r e b y eco
n o u t.c f u n c ti o n t n a n b y t h e o r e t.c a l t u r e , m e v lc lim Is so m e tim e s , p e r ­
h a p s m o r e o f te n m a n n o t, lcT t h e lp ­
c i v J s U tu a . i h e y a r e a c la s s o l c a iti e
le s s I n a w a t e r le s s c o u n tr y I n fe s te d
h e r d s , tie d p r e tt y c lo sely lo th e c a ttl e
b y lio n s , h y e n a s , a n d w ild d o g s.
o f t a e t r m a s te rs - L u rg e c a t t l e o w n e rs
a m o n g th e b e c n u a n a l.k e to s p lit u p
" H U S H - H U S H " O F F IC IA L S .
th e i r n e r d s in v a rio u s p a r t s o f th e
O f c o u rs e th e r e to a law t h o t th e
c o u n tr y , p a r tl y a s a p r im itiv e f a r m ol
M n s a rw a a r e f re e to le a v e t h e i r m a s j
in s u r a n c e a g a .n s t d is e a s e , a n d p a r tl y
le r s ' s e rv ic e n n d th e r e Is a la w w h lc t
b e c a u s e th e y d o n o t l.k e t h e i r c h ie f o r
th c l r n e .g h b o u r s o r m e G o v e r n m e n t to make.H i t a n o f fe n c e to c o m m it v io le n l
a s s a u l t o r to I n flic t g r ie v o u s b o d ll
k n o w e x a c tly h o w m a n y c a ttl e th e y
h a rm .
B u t t h e s e t h in g s m a k e l it tn
po sse ss, T h e B a k g a la g a d l a r e u se d to
p r a c tic a l d if f e r e n c e In m e liv e s o f t h e
h e l p I n m i s c o n c e a lm e n t.. T h e y a r e
" s la v e " p e o p le .
O n t h e w h o le , t h e
s u b s e r v i e n t I n m e se n s e t h a t th e y a re
“s la v e " s y s te m h a s h a d m e s u p p o r t o f
n o t r e g a r d e d o s fu ll m e m b e r s o f th e
th e d i s t r i c t o fficia ls, w h o a r e to so m e
o w n in g tr ib e e i t h e r f o r r e lig io u s o r
e x te n t in v o lv e d In i t a n d to s o m e o f
p o lit .c a l p u r p o s e s . B u t th o u g h th e y d o
n o t u s u a lly a t t e n d m e c h ie f 's k g o tla . w h o m i t Is o r h a s b e e n a s o u r c e o f
p r iv a t e g a in .
T h e r e Is a ls o a w ellth e y a r e f re e to , a n a s o m e tim e s d o ;
a n d th is Is tr u e a ls o o f m e M a s a r w a , k n o w n m is s io n a r y w h o o w n s h e r d s o r
c a t t l e I n a c c r t a i n tr i b a l re s e rv e ,
a t le a s t a m o n g t h e B o k w c n a a n d c e r
t a i n o th e r • o w n e r " tr ib e s . N o r a re w h e r e th e y a r e te n d e d b y M a s a r w a
mo
B a k g a la g a d l
a lw a y s d is p e r s e d u n d e r th e d ir e c tio n o f t h e c h ie f .
c h ie f s
und
me
p r in c i p a l
a m o n g m e h o u s e h o ld s o r a t m e c a ttl e T h e
headm en,
In
th e ir
tu rn ,
a re
p o s ts o f t h e i r o w n e rs. I n s o m e p la c e s
r e s e rv e d
on
me
"S la v - ‘
th e y liv e t h e i r ow n s u b - tr ib a l lif e In e x tre m e ly
t h e i r o w n v illa g e s u n d e r t h c l r o w n e ry " q u e s tio n : w h ic h is n o t s u r p r i s in g ,
w
h
e
n
It
Is
r
e
m
e
m
b
e
re
d
m
a
t
m
o
s
t
of
h e a d m e n : a n d In s u c h c a s e s th e r ig h ts
o f t h e i r " o w n e r s " o v e r m e m a r c so m e ­ t h e M a s a r w a a r e o w n e d b y t h e c h ie f
a n d h is I m m e d ia te e n to u r a g e . O v e r tly
w h a t s h a d o w y . N u m b e rs o f th e m . In
t h e lin e t a k e n b y m e d i s t r i c t o ffic ia ls
d e e d , a r e q u ite u n c la im e d . T h e " o w n ­
in g " c h ie f w ould n o r m a l ly c o n s u lt a s e e m s t o h a v e b e e n t h n t " s la v e r y " Is a
K g a la g a d I
headm an
In
r e le v a n t m a t t e r o f n a tiv e c u s to m , a n d m u s t
m a t t e r s a n d w o u ld n o t d is c r im in a te b e le f t t o m e c h ie f s to d e a l w ith
T a c itl y
th e y
have
a lw a y s
been
b e tw e e n h im a n d o t h e r h e a d m e n o n
g r o u n d s o f h i s b e in g a K g a la g a d l. T h e a n x io u s t o e n s u r e m a t I t s h o u ld n o t
B a k g a l a g a d l m a y o w n p r o p e r ty , a n d , b e s h o w n u p . A n o ffic ia l I n q u lr v I s .'
a
t
t
h
e
m
o
m
e
n
t
o
f
w
T
itln
g
ta
k in g !
a s I s a id , s o m e o f th e m h a v e q u ite
p la c e . B u t t h a t Is d u e to m e I n ltla - '
re s p e c t a b le h e r d s o f c a ttl e .
T h e y p a s s fro m o n e o w n e r t o a n ­ tiv e o f th e n e w R e s id e n t C o m m is ­
s
io
n
e
r
.
b
e
fo
r
e
w
h
o
se
tim
e
th
e re
o t h e r by I n h e r ita n c e a n d “ s l a v e "
f a m ilie s r e m a in a t t a c h e d to o w n in g h a s b e e n n o a t t e m p t e i t h e r t o fu lly
s tu d y o r p u b lis h t h e f a c ts , s t i l l less
h o u s e s f ro m g e n e r a ti o n to g e n e r a ti o n
to
brea k
me
s y s te m
dow n
A c h ild b o m to a " s l a v e " w o m a n b e
o r m o d if y it.
T h e p r e v a le n t a t ­
c o m e s a u to m a t ic a lly h e r m a s te r 's " p ro
is
w ell
e x e m p lifie d
by
p e r ty ."
B ut
th e r e
is
no
tra ffic ti t u d e
in
sla v e s ;
th e y
a re
not
c o m ­ th e o b s e r v a tio n s o f a c e r ta i n R e s i­
m o n ly
bought
and
6 old.
a n d d e n t M a g is tr a t e w h e n t h e " sla v e ry *
q
u
e
s
tio
n
c
ro
p
p
e
d
u
p
in
a
c
e
le
b
r
a
te
d
p r o b a b ly
never have
b een. T ru e.
If a m i n s e n d s w o rd to a f rie n d c a s e w h ic h w a s b e in g tr ie d b e fo r e h im
" T o s a y m a t th e M o s a rw a Is a s la v e
o f h is t h a t h e Is s h o r t o f a s e rv a n t,
Is,"
h
e
r
e
m
a
r
k
e
d
,
"
n
s
in
i
s
te
r
p
r
o
p
a
­
m e f rie n d m a y o f fe r h im a K g a la g a d l
a s a lo a n o r a g if t. J u s t n s h e m ig h t g a n d a a g a in s t t h e G o v e r n m e n t T h e
la
b e in g
a tta c k e d
le n d o r g iv e h im a h o rse . O n t h e o th e r A d m in is tr a tio n
u n d e r c o v e r o f a c r im in a l t r ia l." I n
hand,
he
w o u ld .
p e rh a p s
be
w ith
th is
u n in te lli g e n t o f t h r i f t a n d h a r d w o rk w h ic h th eir
e q u a lly lik e ly to s e n d h is o w n s o n to c o n s o n a n c e
to u c h in e s s
th e
d is t r ic t
o ffic ia ls s u b o r d in a te concL tlon first im posed
p e rf o rm
fo r a
w h ile t h e
se rv ic e
g e n e r a lly h a v e b e e n in c lin e d to s h ie ld u p o n m e m . a n d w h ic h t h o s e w h o were
n eeded
T o d a y " 6 l a v e s " a r e o f te n
t h e c h ie f s w h e n e v e r th e s y s te m n n d
t h e i r m a s te r s a r e le n d in g to lo se by
trea U x t q u ite w ell by n a tiv e m a s te r s , I ts r e s u l ts t h r e a t e n e d t o get, th e m In to
r e a s o n o f t h e i r v ery p r iv ileg e s T h e r e
a n d In s o m e c a s e s a r e e v en p a id w ag e s tr o u b le .
Is a ls o e v id e n c e o f t h e m e ttle e v e n o f
In r a s h o r In k in d m o re o r le s s resru
W h a t s o m e at, l e a s t o f m e a u b - t h e d e s p b e d M a s a r w a A se c tio n o f
larly. T o t h is e x te n t t h e s y s te m n o
le e t tr ib e s a r e c a p a b le o f Is s h o w n
t h e m a t t h e B o t k t ll R iv e r h a v e lived
p ears to be Im proving Itself B u t n a y
b y th e e c o n o m ic p r o g re s s m a d e by a lo n g s id e m e M a knla ka a s th e ir e q u als
m e n t, w h e n g iv e n , ts g iv e n m er ely ns c e r t a i n o f th e M n k n la k a In t h e n o r th
f o r m a n y y e a r s W h e n m e M ak alak a
n n n et o f «rr»ee. und n o t o n a n v eon
o f t h e B A m n n g w a to c o u n tr y B y th e ir In K lia m a 's n in e w n p e r m itte d t o
t a c t u a l b a s is
A nd m a ste r s o f an
I n d u a tr y a n d a p p lic a tio n a s fa r m e r*
w o rk r o r t h e m se lv e s, if th e y p r v le m d
o tn e r tvn e st'H u se e re a t bnrshn e**
th e s e p e o p le h a v e r is e n fro m v ir tu a l It t o se rv ic e w ith
a
m a ste r . lh e v
e v en tm itn f'tv
A m on « every tribe s e rf d o m lo a d e s r e e o f w e a lth In g r a in
tttl«* are to ld o f f ln e e lb f'n n mrt n n d s to c k h ig h e r th a n m a n y o r m e q u ic k ly se lx ed tfielr o p p o rtu n ity : an d
e r ie lt le a «n d It U Im possible t0 R am angW N ito e n ln y : *n t n t e Is th is th e s e M asarw a ro llo w ed s u it T o d a y
b o th g r o u p s a re c o m p a r a tiv e ly rich in
c ” i ’ ! t h a t Mich e p iso d es a r e o f fre
t h a t to r f e a r *f I h e ir f u r t h e r a d v a n c e
c a ttl e a n d e v en ow n « n u m b er o f
Q " 0" ' •~ v irre n r« \
t h e a u t h o r Itin * Uf t h e r u lin g tr ib e nnw
T h e B o tle tli M asarw a s r e
p - n -H iv
■tw ilrlnff
heB T ver
t h e k e e n th e m d e ith e n te lv s h o r t o f la n d w n to n s .
P 1
i„ tv-ac*'c p f a 'r ’v '»-ee •»nd o f • c h o n la C e r ta in nakim)a<n»<1l p r o b a b ly th e Only M a sa rw a w h o are
u
n i-tttr ic ic d a n d m o re o r levs sm -ure tn
to Tiny* abeu* th e e m in 'r v a s 'b a y
■»m»ins m t h e B a k u e n n r e s e rv e a n d
m
e
o
w
n
e
n
h
lp «>f p r o p e r ty T h e y r«jrm
lik e an d *ven t o le a v e *he 'err lto rv e ls e w b e -e
hove
s im ila r ly
Im n ro v e d u p reced e n t on W hich t h e G o v e rn m e n t
t o »n«it o n th e tnln ea o f t h e Hri'An
s ta tu * s y m e a n s o f th e h a b its m ig h t w ell
in a f fo r d in g sim ila r
e r for '■ihrr E u rop ean *m nlovern P ro ­
o p p o riim U to a >o le ss f o r tu n a te M .*»rb ab ly th e y h a v e n o a ffe c tiv e m ea n s o f
» » e ls e w M r it
red re w in c u e o f 111 tr e a tm e n t b y a
( C o n tin u e d I n n e x t c o lu m n .'
(To be continue!
T H E S T A ll, J O H A N N E S B U R G , T R A N S V A A L .
VKFATRS IN BECHUANALAND
PROTECTORATE
V I I . - T H E ADMINISTRATIVE FAILURE
BY A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Such, th e n , is th e system to whose
preservation th e m ain etlo rts of B ritish
I ad m in istratio n have been directed. T he
| quality of these efforts h a s suffered
1 th ro u g h o u t from th e fact of th e pro
tuctorate. T h e B ritish cam e into the
B echuana country to keep the Boers
out, an d they have ever since been in
clined to suppose th a t in safeguarding
the B echuana peoples from outside
aggression—A frikaner on so u th and
east. G erm an on west—th eir duty has
been done. I t is, ol course, an arguable
po in t of view; b u t its results have
n o t been happy, eith er from the
B echuana sta n d p o in t or from th a t of
the E uropean settlers who were en
couraged to en ter the country arter
th e Boer W ar.
To th e latter it
has m ean t sim ple stag n atio n ; to the
form er th a t " tribal law and custom
should be in terfered w ith as little as
possible,” or, in o th er words, th a t no
system atic an d sustained a ttem p t to
•assist the in tern al life of th e tribes
need be m ade As we have seen, tribal
custom is n o t always so fine a thing,
or worthy of such august support; and,
in fact the m ere passivity of the
B ritish (combined with the operation
of extern al economic forces to which
little a ttem p t a t ad ap tatio n has been
made! h as led to a degeneration of
tribal rule.
Adm ittedly th ere are here, as every­
where. two sides to the case If the
predatory instin cts of th e Boer had
not been sh o rt headed in 1885, the
B cchuana m ight now be in worse
plight th a n they actually are. T he
, B ritish
have
rendered
valuable
I veterinary aid: they have done a little
' for education: they have established
' such m edical services as the country
could afford to pay for: and. very re; cently. they have established two good
hospitals and given some assist­
ance
in boring
for w ater.
But
the old trib al life is d isintegrating
under th eir hands, and so far they
have done n o thing eith er to rep air It
or to p u t a sub stitu te in its place. To
day the B echuana are probably poorer
and certainly less congenially governed
th a n a t any tim e during th e last 30
years- T he policy of simple protection
has m anifestly failed, and the B ritish
are faced with th e alternatives either
of pulling them selves together and
m aking a Job of governm ent, o r of
m aking room for o th er and perhaps
less benevolent suzerains.
there. T h e Com m issioner inquired
about th e third- No one seem ed to
have any definite inform ation, but
there was a feeling th a t he h ad been
unable to come. On th is the Com­
m issioner. who had been used to better
things, se n t fo rth a brace of police
m essengers to g reet the absentee, re­
new th e invitation, an d bring h im in
in handcuffs if it were not prom ptly
accepted. T here was a brief Interval,
and the m an arrived a t a steady
double. Not only th a t; the h u t tax re
ceipts from his area were trebled a t
the n ex t collection. O ther revealing
exam ples indicate th a t it h as not been
uncom m on for G overnm ent servants
nearly to double th e ir salaries by
m aking a selfish use of privileges; in
one or two instances " perquisites ”
have been pushed up to a figure
w hich h a s m ade a public scandal of
the delinquents’ disloyalty to Crown and
taxpayers. Such things become intelli­
gible when it is realised th a t u n til re­
cently officials who use th eir own cars
on business have draw n a m ileage
allowance of Is. 3d. a mile. T he rate
has since been reduced to Is. a mile
for the first 200 miles travelled in each
m onth, an d 8d. a mile th eieafter.
Even so, it should be quite easy for a
m an to replace his car o ut of his
m ileage allowance every 18 m onths or
so. For i.500 m iles of m otoring through
the territory over every kind of road,
I found th a t my own costs worked out
a t exactly 3d. a mile for petrol, oil,
and repairs. The m ethod of granting
mileage allowances is plainly open to
objection; when an officer cannot dis
charge his duties w ithout a car, it
would be preferable to pay him a
salary th a t enables him to ru n one,
and require him to meet his tran sp o rt
costs out Of th a t. T ravelling allow­
ances for officials nowadays absorb
some £9.000 a year, an addition of
m ore th an 20 per cent, to the aggre
gate salaries of the whole European
staff.
<B> G enuine o p p o r t u n it y fo r * i n ­
alarm ed a t th e prospective proclam a­
tion dealing w ith th e powers o f chiefs, dependent life should be provided i/y
an d none th e less so because they do the G overn m en t fo r tiv Ma.-_.m t4 and
n ot yet know Its contents. A quite u n ­ oth er so-called slave |X'opIe>. T h e y
precedented m ovem ent
Is already should be given effective secu rity In
taking place
for
som e kind of the ow nership of property, and Miltable
organisation am ong them selves to areas up and down th e cou n try should
sta n d up for w h a t th ey consider th eir be set aside under G overn m en t control,
rights. And th e G overnm ent has where such people m ight plant crop*
drifted Into th e position th a t It c a n ­ and graze ca ttle w henever they elect
not now carry o u t any of the vitally to leave th eir m asters and seek an 111
necessary reform s w ithout the b itter re­ dependent livelihood.
I B) I t is essential th a t th e Go-, e m
sistance of the chiefs, who embody th e
sole effective ad m in istrativ e m achinery m e n t should control th e system of
personal
vlolenCt?TttaMS a t p resen t In
a t its disposal an d whom, a t th e ex­
pense of th e well-being of th e tribes. It tMTgetTTh Wtttr Stich disg racefu l free- ;
h as been a t such pains to conciliate At dom by chiefs, regim ental officers, an d
the sam e tim e, it h a s no hope of head m en T h e system derives from a
neutralising th e opposition of the long-established custom of cruelty an d
chiefs by an appeal to popular sup­ to rtu re, b u t th e respect fo r trio al
p o rt from the tribesm en. T he chiefs' m an n ers w hich th in k s it en titled to
“reign of te rro r” is still too firm for consideration on th a t acco u n t is surely
th a t Besides, the G overnm ent is In exaggerated. To define by law con j
any case looked upon w ith copious ditions on w hich floggings sh all be |
cynicism and lack of fa ith by th e perm issible is of little use by Itself and
ran k and file; and when it comes so long as th e onus of seeking redress
along and s ta rts talking about pro­ is left upon th e victim s. I t should be :
gress and reform , th e ir quite simple for th e G overnm ent to ta k e step s to I
reaction Is to think, "We give it 25s. inform itself ab o u t every a s sa u lt th a t
takes place, an d to tak e actio n when
h u t tax to keep it quiet,: w h at on necessary.
A t p resen t m an y floggings
e a rth does it w ant now?" T h a t Is one a re adm inistered w ith a sadistic
I result of a n undiscrim inatlng “Indirect frenzy th a t m akes no preten ce of
rule."
being judicial.
(To be concluded..)
THE DILEMMA.
— —
In a nutshell, then, th e sta tu s quo
can n o t be m aintained, y et any m ove­
m en t of reform , w hether from above
or from below, is practically bound to
create deadlock. To find a way o ut of
the dilem m a will require m uch more
courage and determ ination th a n the
responsible authorities have h ith erto
shown R adical handling is called for.
New im pulse and new direction to
policy could perhaps best be lent, as
I have suggested before, by an
a u th o rita tiv e commission of inquiry
into the whole situation of the High
Commission territories. B ut w hether
or no a commission is appointed, and
w hatever degree of assen t from the
chiefs official diplom acy is able to win.
certain obvious lines of reform need
to be tackled. And tim e is no less
Im portant th an firmness.
Changes
such as these tentatively outlined
below can n o t be m ade w ith a stroke
of the pen. and m ay take years to
complete But. if tolerable rule is to
be established, they need to be p u t in
train with th e minim um of delay.
(1) T he present autocracy of the
chiefs should be w atered down to some
NON-INTERFERENCE.
iorm of governm ent by sta tu to ry coun
oil. Till" chief should preside over the
However, w ith m atters of detail of council, and for the p resen t retain
th is kind th e new vigilance im ported control of the balance of power in it.
by the present Resident Com nnss.oner But the council should represent all
may be expected to deal. T he broad phases of political sentim ent w ithin
criticism of the G overnm ent is th a t the tribe, and the appointm ent and re­
its record h as so la r been one of moval ol councillors sliduld not be
pretty com plete failure to establish left to tribal custom in th e present
fruitful relations w ith the natives. acceptation of th a t phrase For. other­
/The policy of non-interference with wise. the chief will sim ulv select his
t H E PO LIC E MIND.
tribal custom sounds liberal enough, own councillors, as happened some
but it has th is weakness, th at, while years ago In th e case of Sebele. But.
it cannot wholly absolve the Govern- of course th is does not m ean th a t the
la n a P rotectorate h as never n aa any m ent [rom
duty of occasional in- tribe should n ot be consulted in such
first-class m ind seriously a t woik upon ierv en tio n .it leaves them w ithout any appointm ents and removals by m eans
Its problems. And th e local ad m in istra ciear principle whereon Intervention w ith which they are fam iliar. T he
tive officers, lacking light an d leading r shollld be m ade. x h e com pleler the council should be com petent to discuss,
from above, have hardly been of th e torm in wh!ch it is applied, the wlder and any mem ber of it to raise, any
calibre to tak e charge, and fram e a I th e pretext it affords for governm ental m atters w hatever—legislative, adm inis
constructive Policy
th eir 0W£ j,!indolcnce 0 f thought and action. For tratlve. financial—affecting the tribe.
(2) T rltjal finance needs to be p ut on
n .
I * erects th e insufficiency of tribal
a m odernised footing S eparate tribal
in to e m e S a l ^ t a b i t i an d r a n g e o f . every kind of
a- general
scaPe®
o
al
for
treasuries
should be established and
failure, w hatever the
outlook custom ary in th a t walk of life
true responsible source. T he tendency tbe’fr 'violations with the G overnm ent
T he passage of some law exam ina­ for actual adm inistration to fall be­ Exchequer defined. T he G o v ern m en t1
tions h as won them prom otion to thej tween tw'o stools Is th u s very strong: should be the sole taxing authority,
ran k of resident m agistrate, but th eirj and. w hatever profession m ay have but certain revenue o th er th a n taxa
adm inistrative grounding has been been, practice in B echuanaland has lion should be earm arked for th e tribe,
narrow and th eir train in g in economics for m any vears been a confused and the G overnm ent m ight, as in T an
alm ost non existent. T h u s th eir gene­ hybrid of native custom and European ganyika. retu rn some proportion of its 1
ral capacity h as rested a t a lower level adm inistrative and legal Ideas, in tax revenue to each trib e for expendi­
th a n the Im portance of the task they which n eith er the chiefs no r the rank tu re by th e tribe on tribal purposes.
have been som ew hat unfairly saddled and file of natives have ever felt sure In the case of approved ad hoc snecial
with, an d they have never risen to a n how they stood. Most of th e abnorm ­ levies, the G overnm ent m ight delegate
adequate com prehension of w h at one ally num erous Privy Council appeals Its taxing powers to the chief’s council,
m ay call th e g rav itatio n al field in which have come out of th e Protec­ on a request from th e council endorsed
which th a t task has to be discharged. to rate in th e last decade are trace­ by th e tribal kgotla. All m a tte rs of
If they have failed, failure lies less
tribal finance should be open to discus
able to th is confusion. T he upshot is slon
a t th eir door th a n a t that, of the
In kgotla T rib al treasuries should
th
a
t
the
G
overnm
ent
Is
held
by
its
superior au th o rities who appointed
keep proper accounts, and th eir tra n s ­
them. Most of them arc now long service w ards in an esteem very different actions should be subm itted to Gov­
men, an d they have doubtless received from th a t usually accorded to B ritish ernm ent supervision and audit.
colonial authority.
Even th e chiefs,
so m any rebuffs and so little encour
13) .Regimented labour should be re­
agem ent from on high th a t it would who have been given m uch m ore rope stricted to a f r tr r m n r tw ln full health
be strange Indeed if th e ir sp irit had th a n th eir adm inistrative m erits en­ and should be paid for a t standard
not become enfeebled. T he m ethod of title them to an d who m ight be ex­ rates from trib a l funds: and there
kindly regard should be generous provision for
selection o f th eir successors Is of pected to look w ith
m aterial significance to th e fu ture upon th e authors of such favouritism , exem ption w here a person can show
cham
p
aggressively
a
t
the
bit. F or they th a t he is already engaged on work
well-being of th e territory, an d we
are aw are th a t the present sta te of of tribal im portance with which regi­
shall recur to it later.
T h e regime as a whole has resulted affairs cannot possibly last.; B echuana­ m ented service would seriously Inter
not only in Incoherence of policy, but land cannot stand still Indefinitely fere.
(4) Definite attem p ts should be
in a general laxity of adm inistration. while its whole field of economic re­
A few' instances will throw a good deal ference Is in rapid motion. T h e y sus­ m ade to secure some suitably specialised
n f -r h M lj a n d
of lleht. on the latter point. One is a pect th a t the G overnm ent, in spite of education
Its non-interference principles, will be hl'iutTni'rT. Which will really WTp to fit
s t o r y told of the new Resident Com
driven
to
curtail
their
powers,
and
them for their coming responsibilities.
mlssloner, and I am able to vouch for
ground for M ight it not be possible to a r r a n g e
i t a s authentic. S hortly a fter his ar- evidently th ere Is good
rival in the country he w as touring their suspicion T h ey are alarm ed by tor the Governm ent school a t T a b o r a
[
t h e tribal reserve*, and expressed a
d e s ir e to meet, three o f the ch iefs at
a c e r t a i n place W hen the appointed
Ume c a m e o n l y two of the ch iefs were
the deposition, long overdue as It was.
of the Bakw ena chief, Sebele. who
had for years been a pernicious In­
fluence upon h is tribe;
th ey are
M ON DAY. AK>
In Tan gan yika (or any more a p p r o
prlate
Institution)
to
la k e
such
students from a ll three High C o m m is
sioti territories?
1 rp
1 tc
fU
s. I ■
1 0
\FFAIR S IN BECHUANALAND
PROTECTORATE
V I I I . - S O M E POSSIBLE REPAIRS TO THE
ADMINISTRATIVE MACHINE
BY A SPECIAL CORRESPONDEN T
T h e t r i b a l r e f o r m s s u g g e s t e d I n t.h c
la st- a r t i c l e W ill, o n e m a y s u r m i s e , b e
p a r t i a l l y c o v e r e d I n t h e b ig p r o c l a m a ­
t i o n w h i c h t h e G o v e r n m e n t is e n g a g e d
In p r e p a r i n g a n d w h o s e m a i n o b j e c t
t o p a r t i c u l a r i s e rJie p o w e r s o f t h e
c h ie f s .
B u t o b v io u s l y i h e y g o v e r y
m u c h f u r th e r th a n th e in te n tio n s o f
t h e G o v e r n m e n t a r e lik e ly t o g o .
For
I t t o u a l b e r e m e m b e r e d t h a t , e v e n if t h e
n e w R e s i d e n t C o m m i s s i o n e r 's p r i v a t e
o p i n i o n s s h o u l d l e a n t o w a r d s a v ig o ­
r o u s p o lic y , t h e y a r c o b lig e d t o r u n t h e
g a u n tle t a t th e
H ig h
C o m m is s io n e r
a n d to e S e c re ta ry o f S ta te fo r th e D o
m in io n s — b o th
e x a lte d ' fu n c tio n a rie s
h a v i n g o t h e r p r e o c c u p a t i o n s b e s id e s
t h a t o f p r o v id in g g o o d g o v e rn m e n t fo r
o b s c u re A fric a n p r o te c to r a te s .
Y e t . if t h e G o v e r n m e n t c o n t e m p l a t e s
a n y s e rio u s r e f o r m s a t a il. o n e th in g
s t a n d s o u t w i t h g r e a t- c l a r i t y , a n d t h a t
I s t h a t th e y c a n n o t b e s u c c e s s f u lly
c a r rie d o u t w ith th e m a c h in e r y o r g o v ­
e r n m e n t t h r o u g h w h ic h B r ita in h a s so
f a r b e e n a t t e m p t i n g to w o rk .
A p re ­
re q u is ite . o r a t le a s t a n e c e s s a ry conc o m ltn n t,
of
tr ib a l
re fo rm
is
a
t h o r o u g h o v e rh a u l o f w h a t m a y v u l­
g a r l y b e t e r m e d t h e H ig h C o m m i s s i o n 's
o ld Iro n
It. I s s u g g e s t e d t h a t t h e r e
a r e fo u r m a jo r p o in ts fo r c o n s id e r a ­
tio n
by
a
c o m m is s io n o f
in q u i r y ,
s h o u ld o n e b e a p p o in te d , a n d in a n y
e v e n t b y th e B r iti s h G o v e rn m e n t.
T h e firs t c o n c e rn s th e a p p o in tm e n t
of
a d m in is tra tiv e
o ffic e rs .
I
have
a lre a d y
In d ic a te d
t h a t th e
p rese n t
m e t h o d o f s e l e c t i o n h a s 'n o d o u b t w i t h
in d iv id u a l
e x c e p tio n s )
h a rd ly
suc­
c e e d e d in e n lis ti n g t h e s e rv ic e s o f q u ite
t h e c la s s o f m a n t h a t th e w o rk c a lls
for
T h i s is p a r t l y b e c a u s e t h e f ie ld
h a s a s a r u l e b e e n r e s t r i c t e d t o p e o p le
w h o h a p p e n e d t o b e a t a lo o t-e e n d
.s o m e w h e r e i n S o u t h e r n A f r tc n .
C an
d ld a tc s fo r th e a d m in is tra tiv e se rv ic e s
o f E a s t a n d W e s t A fric a , o n t h e o th e r
h a n d , a re s e le c te d w ith v e ry c o n s i d e r
a b l e c a r e f r o m a v e r y w id e f ie l d o f
c h o ic e b y a s p e c ia l d e p a r t m e n t o f th e
C o l o n i a l O ff ic e . T h a t d e p a r t m e n t h a s
e x c e p tio n a l e x p e rie n c e in t h e d e lic a te
ta s k o f m e a s u r in g c h a r a c t e r a n d c ap a c ity b y s t a n d a r d s w h ic h a r e r e a s o n ­
a b ly u n if o r m w i th o u t b e in g m c c h a n
d a l.
A fte r s e le c tio n , s u c c e s s fu l c a n d i ­
d a te s a re
p u t th ro u g h a c o u rse ol
s p e c ia l tr a i n in g , b e fo re th e y a re s e n t
o u t to t h e i r p o s ts .
T h e g e n eral a rg u ­
m e n t p u t f o rw a rd in p re v io u s s e c tio n s
h a s . 1 h o p e , m a d e i t p la in t h a t th e
f u r t h e r a n c e o f B r i t i s h p o lic y I n A f r i c a
d e p e n d s n o l e s s o n t h e w o r k d o n e in
th<= H i g h C o m m i s s i o n t e r r i t o r i e s t h a n
o n t h a t d o n e In th e tro p ic a l d e p e n ­
d e n c ie s .
I f t h i s is s o , e q u a l q u a l i t y
o l a d m in is t r a tiv e m a te r ia ! is n e e d e d
In b o th p la c e s , a n d t h e m e th o d o f a p p o ln tm e n t l a b o th s h o u ld b o th e sa m e,
i t s e e m s h ig h ly
d e s ira b le t h a t
Ip
f u t u r e t h e B i l l c o m m is s io n
te rrl
to r le s s h o u ld b e l u m l s h e d w ith t h u
m a te r ia l d ir e c t fro m th e A p t x M m e B t e
D e p a r t m e n t o f t h e C o l o n i a l O ff ic e , a n d
t h a t th e y s h o u ld p ro v id e lo r a c a d e t
o r " a s s i s t a n t d i s t r i c t c o m m is s io n e r
g r a d e i n t h e i r e s ta b lis h m e n ts .
them under the Dominions Office is
simply to givo evidence of lack of serl
ous purpose with regard to them, and
to suggest th at they are but pausing
there for a apace, before being incor­
porated In the Union.
THE HIGH COMMISSIONER.
in the third place, the High Commls-
s lo n e rs h lp c a ll fo r c o n s id e ra tio n . T h e
s e p a ra tio n o f
th a t
o f fic e
f r o m th e
G o v e r n o r - G e n e r a ls b ip . w ith w h ic h it
h a d b e e n lin k e d f o r 20 y e a r s , w a s n o t
o n l y a lo g ic a l a n d n e c e s s a r y s t e p , b u t
o n e c a l c u l a t e d , s o f a r a s I t w e n t , to
b e n e fit th e P r o te c t o ra te s .
B u t i t is a
q u e s t i o n w h e t h e r i t w o u ld n o t h a v e
b e e n b e tte r to g o f u r t h e r a n d a b o lis h
t h e H ig h C o m m i s s l o n e r s h l p a l t o g e t h e r .
U n d e r p r e s e n t a r r a n g e m e n t s , t h e H ig h
C o m m i s s i o n e r 's i s a d u a l p o s i t i o n . H e
Is G o v e r n o r a n d l e g i s l a t i v e a u t h o r i t y
in th e
th r e e
te rr ito r ie s o u ts id e th e
U n i o n ; a n d h e is a l s o t h e B r i t i s h G o v ­
e r n m e n t 's
re p re s e n ta tiv e
in s id e
th e
U n io n
T h e c o m b in a tio n
la y s h im i
o p e n to
s im ila r o b je c tio n s
to th o s e I
w h ic h w e f o u n d In th e c a s e o f t h e
D o m in io n s
O ff ic e .
In
h is se co n d
c a p a c ity h e is c o n tin u a l ly c a lle d u p o n
to c o n d u c t d e lic a te n e g o tia t io n s w ith I
th e
U n io n
G o v ern m e n t
upon
such
m a t t e r s a s ta r if f s , s u b s id ie s f o r E m p ir e
c o m m u n ic a tio n s , tr e a tie s w ith fo re ig n
c o u n trie s a n d so o n ; a n d m o re o f te n
t h a n n o t t h e s u c c e s s o f h i s e f f o r t s w ill
d e p e n d o n t h e g o o d w ill o f U n i o n
M in is te rs a n d th e c o rd ia lity o f h is p e r­
s o n a l r e la tio n s w ith th e m . T h e te r r i­
to r ie s c o u ld e x p e c t t o d e riv e a d v a n ta g e
f r o m t h e H ig h C o m m i s s l o n e r s h l p o n ly
if i t w e re s y s te m a tic a ll y
u sed
as a
b u f fe r b e tw e e n th e m a n d U n io n In ­
flu e n c e s .
B u t t h i s Is s c a r c e l y p o s s ib l e
w h ile t h e H ig h C o m m is s io n e r h a s a
s e c o n d c a p a c i t y i n w h i c h I t is h t s d u t y
to c u ltiv a te t h e c lo s e s t a n d f ri e n d lie s t
r e la tio n s
w ith
U n io n
a u th o ritie s .
S u c c e s s i n t h e o n e t a s k is i n c o m p a t i b l e
w ith s u c c e s s In t h e o th e r , w h ile th e
U n i o n 's I d e a s o n n a t i v e a f f a i r s r e m a i n
w h a t th e y a re .
T h e s e a r e a r g u m e n ts fo r k e e p in g th e
H ig h C o m m i s s l o n e r s h l p d i s t i n c t f r o m
th e re p r e s e n ta tio n o f th e B r itis h G o v ­
e rn m e n t in t h e U n io n ; a n d th e y se em
to m e c o n c l u s i v e .
B u t th e fu rth e r
q u e s tio n a ris e s w h e t h e r th e H ig h C o m m ls s lo n e rs h ip . e v e n
so
s e p a r a t e d , is
r e a lly o f a n y v a lu e to t h e H ig h C o m ­
m is s io n t e r r ito r ie s th e m s e lv e s . I n th e
!d a y s w h e n t h e t e r r i t o r i e s w e r e f i r s t
b r o u g h t u n d e r t h e H i g h C o m m is s i o n ,
t h e s t e p . I t a k e it, w a s m e a n t t o b e
a n d p e rh a p s w as a n econom y.
The
R e s id e n t C o m m is s io n e r w a s i n te n d e d
t o b e n s u b o r d i n a t e o f f i c ia l w i t h t h e
H ig h C o m m is s io n e r o v e r h im a s th e
e f f e c tiv e g o v e r n in g a u t h o r i t y ; a n d e a c h
te r r ito r y in c o n tri b u tin g to th e c o s t
o f t h e H ig h C o m m i s s i o n e r 's o f fic e i f
n o t to h is s a la ry , w a s to g e t Its G o v ­
e rn o r fo r a b o u t o n e -th ird of w h a t it
w o u ld h a v e h a d t o p a y i f i t h a d n o t
b e e n s h a r i n g h im w ith t h e o ili e r t e r r i ­
to r i e s .
B u t tim e h a s a l t e r e d a ll th a t.
T h e r e la tiv e im p o r ta n c e o f t h e R e s i­
d e n t. C o m m is s io n e r h a s s te a d i ly g ro w n ,
AN ANOM ALY.
a n d a s th e m a n o n t h e s p o t h e is. o r
o u g h t to be. t h e m a n tr u s te d w ith th e
The
second point c o n c e r n s t h e p r i m a r y r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f g o v e r n m e n t i n
ill s te r r ito r y .
s tr a n g e f a c t th a t a t th e L o n d o n e n d
m e D o m i n i o n s O ff ic e , a n d n o t t h e
L U X U R Y A N D C O M P L IC A T IO N .
C o l o n i a l O f f ic e , i s t h e r e s p o n s i b l e d e ­
p a rtm e n t.
I t 1* a n a b s u r d a n o m a I y .
T h e H i g h C o m m i s s i o n e r 's o f f i c e m a y
The Dominions Office Is a d l p l o n r f u . c
d e p a rtm e n t,
not
nn
a d m in ia tn ftlv e o r m a y n o b h a v e b e e n u s e fu l In s e c u r ­
one; I t h a s n o I n t e r e s t i n d i r e c t i n g s o m e c o - o r d i n a t i o n o f p o lic y ,
c o lo n ia l
r e s p o n s ib ility
m id
is
n o t le g is la tio n , a n d p r o c e d u r e in t h e th r e e
e q u i p p e d f o r c a r r y i n g it. I t s d o m i n a n t t e r r i t o r i e s ; b u t i t Is s a f e t o s a y t h a '.
c o n c e r n t s w ith s u c h h ig h m a t t e r s a s I t h a s d o n e l i t t l e in t h i s r e s p e c t w h ic h
c o u l d n o r h a v e b e e n d o n e e q u a l l y w e ll
h o ld in g th e E m p ire to g e th e r a n d se e
m g t h a t n o s m a lle s t g r o u n d o f o f fe n c e d i r e c t f r o m D o w n in g S t r e e t . I t m a y |
Is g iv e n t o a n y o n e w h o m ig h t c o n c e iv ­ h a v e b e e n u s e f u l In n e g o tia t in g w i t h '
t h e U n io n o n b e h a U o f t h e te r r ito r ie s
a b ly b r e a k a w a y f ro m I t.
E v ery o n e
fo r
e x p e r t,
a s s is ta n c e
in
a n im a l
k n o w s th a t w h e n , d u r in g a n Im p e ria l
d is e a s e s ,
lo c u s t
c o n tro l,
e le c tric ity
C o n f e re n c e , a D o m in io n s p r im e M in
i s t e r h a p p e n s to e n t e r th e D o m in io n s s c h e m e s , r o a d m o to r s e rv ic e s , e tc .. b u t
i t is s a f e l o s a y t h a t i t h a s d o n e l i t t l e
O f f ic e , t h e p e r m a n e n t o f f i c i a l s o f t h a t
d is m m v a u lt a ll a s s u m e a s u p in e p o s i­ in th is r e s p e c t w h ic h c o u ld n o t h a v e
tio n a n d . w a v in g ( h e i r le g s o b s e q u i­ b e e n d o n e e q u a lly w e ll b y e a c h t e r r i ­
o u s l y i n t h e a i r . c r y I n u n i s o n , •' W ip e . t o r y f o r I t s e l f o r b y a p e r i o d i c a l c o n ­
L o r d ; f o r . lo . t h y s e r v a n t s a r e s t r e t c h e d
fe r e n c e o f R e s id e n t C o m m is s io n e rs , i n
o u t to b e a s d o o r m a ts b e n e a th th y
th e c ir c u m s ta n c e s o f to - d a y , t h e H ig h
f e e t.”
O u r a r g u m e n t th r o u g h o u t h a s
C o m m i s s i o n e r 's o f fic e is . t o b e b lu n ts
b e e n t h a t t h e H i g h C o m m i s s i o n w>rrl
a n u n n e c e s s a r y c o m p lic a ti o n tr o m t h e
lo r ie s n e e d to c u t lo o se , a s f a r a s th e y
s ta n d p o in t o f t h e R e s id e n t C o m m is ­
c a n , f ro m t h e a p ro n - s tr in g s o f th e
s io n e rs , a n d a n u n n e c e s s a r y
lu x u ry
U n to n , to c e a s e s e rv in g Its n e e d s w ith ­ f ro m
th e
s ta n d p o in t
of
D o w n in g
o u t a d e q u a te r e t u r n , to o r d e r
th e ir S t r e e t , w h ic h n a tu r a l l y d e le g a te s to It
h o u s e so a s to b e a b le to t r e a t w ith
m u c h o f t h e w o rk it s h o u ld p r o p e r ly
t h e U n i o n a s o n e I n d e p e n d e n t e c o n o ­ b e d o i n g i t s e l f . T h e t e r r i t o r i e s w o u ld ,
m i c e n t i t y w i t h a n o t h e r , a n d n o t t o b e c ju lte p o s s i b l y , g e t b e t t e r v a l u e f o r
a f r a i d o f c o m b a t i n g O n i o n p o lic y w h e n
m o n e y if t h e y 6 p e n t w h a t t h e y n o w
it, r u n s c o u n t e r t o t h e i r o w n i n t e r e s t s . c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e H i g h C o m m i s s i o n e r ’s
H o w c a n s u c h a l i n e b e t a k e n b y a o f fic e i n a t t r a c t i n g t h e b e s t q u a l i t y o f
d e p a r tm e n t
a n d b y o f fic ia ls
w hose
a d m in is tra tiv e
m a te r ia l
to
se rv ice
m a i n J o b Is t o k e e p t h e U n i o n s m i l i n g
w ith in th e ir o w n b o rd e rs.
a n d c o n t e n t e d w i t h li f e i n t h e E m p i r e
T h e r e is , o f c o u r s e , n o s u g g e s t i o n
n u r s e r y , to s o o th e i t w h e n i t g e ts t h a t th e m e m b e r s o f t h e H ig h C o m ­
f r a c t io u s , a n d to a v o id a ll s u g g e s tio n
m i s s i o n e r 's s t a f f a r e n o t v e r y b u s il y
t h a t a n y r e a s o n a b l e b e in g c o u ld p o s ­ e m p lo y e d . B u t I t is s u g g e s te d t h a t th e y
s ib ly c ritic is e it?
I t m a y b e o b je c te d
a r c e m p l o y e d o n w o r k w h i c h w o u ld b e
t h a t t o t r a n s f e r t h e H ig h C o m m is s io n
m o re s u it a b ly p e rf o rm e d e i t h e r in th e
te rr ito r ie s
to
th e
c h arg e
of
th e
t e r r i t o r i e s o r In L o n d o n : t h a t a r e l a y ­
C o l o n i a l O f f ic e w o u ld m a k e l i t t l e o d d s
i n g s t a t i o n I n C a p e t o w n Is r e d u n d a n t :
T h e s a m e ro o f s h e lte r s b o th C o lo n ia l
a n d th a I t h e tim e h a s c o m e to d is ­
a n d D o m i n i o n s O ff ic e s , a n d e v e n t h e
p e n se w ith
it a n d
to re g r a d e th e
o f f i c i a l s i n t e r c h a n g e f r e e l y f r o m o n e to
R e s id e n t C o m m is s lo n c rs h lp s a s J u n io r
th e o th e r.
I n a s e n s e , It Is t r u e t h a t
G o v e r n o r s h ip s d ir e c tly r e s p o n s ib le to
t h e tw o g r o u p s o f o f fic ia ls a r e I n t h e m ­
th e S e c re ta r y o f S ta te .
selves m u c h o f a muchness. Never
T hese
considerations
lead
on
th e ! c s s . t r a d i t i o n a n d p r a c tic e In th e
n a t u r a l l y t o o u r f o u r t h and final point.
t w o departments are v e r y d i f f e r e n t :
t h e q u e s t i o n o f a n n e x a t i o n ( i t relates
t h e C o l o n i a l O f f ic e i s a c c u s t o m c d t o
o n ly to t h e Bechunnaland Protectorate
m a k i n g u s e o f t h e i m p e r a t i v e i n its
speech, a n a e v e n , a n o c c a s i o n , t o t a k a n t i to Swaziland, [or Basutoland has
in? charge o f a s i t u a t i o n . I t s o f f i c ia ls b e e n a n n e x e d to the British Crown
m a y have similar limitation? to those
of their colleagues o f the Dominions
Office, but at least they have different
complexes
And the Colonial Office
rsrapca the complex, fatal i n this con
nectloii. which represents it as the
mmtmim mslum to press ft divergence
of opinion with another member of
the Empire
The proper government
r>f the High Commission
territories
mUM Involve some opoosltton to Union
policy. *nd it e in only be established
ov people who have both convictions
and the courage of them
The
Dnmtn'ouR o m rr has no conviction*
sine* conviction* <io not form p art of
the diplomatic apparatus, and It U
mortnttv afraid o( * i v t o * the Union n
e to r .c r to UtOUftr The Cfckmlsl Offce
•«* the ft*#p by which the British
diWtKKjmfv implement" s i j c h ron*tc
H o w *< II
been -We to reach o n
»h#> m w f tu o n
w
#t
w s s v
since 1867). Annexation is an idea |
which occurs naturally to the observer
w h o sees h o w perniciously the notion
t h a t t h e be-all and end-all of British
p o l i c y is to protect the natives from .
a harsh outer world has worked out
in practice in South African coridi*
lions. The need is for some sharp re-1
orientation to emphasise strikingly
thai Britain's office Is to make a Job
of active government, in a much wider
«ense. Annexation might, give this, or
help to live it. on the other hand, t h e
desired result might ire achieved by
other mean* The question in compli­
cated tv a number of difficult legal
twue- and cannot be diwuased nt
length here Against the idea must be
m i the (act th at annexation dors not
wetn lo lu»vc done Basutoland
1
J
O
\ P o tA C
id ,U
j
/y \
THE STAR, JOHANNESBURG, TRANSVA
September, 1925, the writer was pre­
sent a t the K gotla in Serowe, when
w ith alm ost one voice the people
chose the presen t regent, th e n a t
school, an d said literally th a t no o th er
course nor nam e was thinkable. T here
were
some
dissentient
headm en,
COMMENTS BY A NATIVE princes in tact, who wished a council
to rule instead.
T he fa ct th a t they
were princes, educated, w ealthy and
powerful, is significant, and m ay ex­
plain th eir discontent. A new nucleus
of opposition to th e p resen t regent
To the Edi t or o f T h e Star
was th u s formed, even before he was
Sir,—T h e arg um ents an d deductions form ally proclaim ed, and it was bound
contained in th e article of T he S ta r of to a ttra c t to its ran k s any elem ent of
though
inarticulate,
August 27 to prove th e degeneration of pre-existing,
tne system of trib al rule, are false in opposition. T hus cam e about a series
fact an d figure, an d the conclusions of m inor reprisals w hich have cul­
are botn unjust and m isleading.
All m inated in the present sta te of strife.
No intelligent observer can fail to
tne more so, as tney are a generalisa­
tion arrived a t by singling o u t one realise th e fact th a t tribalism is but
tribe—the B am angw ato—for specific a cram ped and cram ping form of
society.
T he condition is not, how­
treatment by way of illustration.
T n e division of th e political forces ever, one of com plete stagnation. Some
into ca> m e royal headm en, in b itter little advancem ent is m ade, some few
opposition to (b) th e com m on h ead ­ fresh ideas of progress filter in an d
m en led by th e chief, a n d (c) the are en tertained, some few dream s are
com m on
m asses, whom
trad itio n dream t, a n d some few visions are seen.
inclines tow ards support of th e chief, All th is happens by th e com ings in
and th e goings o u t of people; by
is a vital error.
Actually, m ore th a n 95 per cent, of teachers, by traders, by travellers, by
th e princes an d headm en are with, papers, by preachers, by legislators,
a n d far the chief.
Such are the d es­ and by labourers. T he tribal ideas of
cen d an ts of Sekgom a I.—th e K ham a- progress, however, ou tstrip the tribal
I t m ay be
nas, the Seretses. the M okhuchwanes, law, life, and practice.
th e M phoengs, and the M athibas, to said th a t th e trib al consciousness is
m ention only a few outstanding. The in advance of th e trib al organism. B ut
com m on headm en and th e com m on it m ust be noted here th a t th is disease
m asses are an y th in g from 95 per cent, of disequilibrium of ideas and practice
to 99 per cent, w ith a n d for th e chief. Is com m on to all society anyw here—
T h is leaves less th a n 5 per cent.—a advancing o r advanced.
liberal allowance—of royal headm en,
form ing opposition to th e chief.
EDU CATED NATIVES
T h is opposition goes back to th e
In any case, th is necessarily leads
days of K ham a, if n o t beyond, who
expelled one prince o r headm an who to anom alies and hardshtps, which fall
opposed him , a fte r an o th er, n o t even principally on th e intelligentsia of the
excepting h is th e n only son and h eir—
Sekgom a II.
T he m otive was the tribe, if they ca n n o t fall in with, and
principle of one kraal, one bull. Later, ac t as a leaven on chiefly rule and
T his I th in k they can.
Sekgom a him self, once an exile, found tribal law.
It necessary to banish m ore th a n one It is difficult, bu t in the m easure th a t
princely headm an.
Now, Sekgom a’s they are intellectual, In th a t m easure
successor, the p resen t regent, finds will they succeed.
F or an educated m an, th e re 1s
him self faced w ith th e sam e necessity
for th e assertion of th e sam e principle indeed no scope for self-betterm ent,
—one kraal, one bull.
T he headm en socially, educationally o r economically
form ing a n opposition to th e ch ief’s In tribal life in the B echuanaland P ro ­
rule are, in one way o r other, con­ tectorate, bu t th ere is am ple scope for
nected w ith these erstw hile exiles. real service an d sacrifice a n d for
(They were always allowed to re tu rn pioneer work in th e trib al system . I t
would be a pity if education unfitted
a fte r a sh o rter or longer interval).
th e B echuana young m en for th eir
hom es an d th eir people, for how ever
T H E H O U S E O r .S EKG OMA
could real salvation come to B echuna
I t ls fallacious to s ta te th a t the land? And if th e defects of African
natural order of things ls reversed, and system s of governm ent ca n n o t be im ­
that the chief has elevated commoners proved, an d th e good in them dem on­
above the princely headmen.
The strated by A fricans them selves, p rac­
house of Sekgoma T still constitutes tically, th en an educated A frican Is a
th? Supreme Council, and the highest Europeanised
A frican—a
dis-Afri
Happily
offices in the tribe are held by them, cam sed product of schools.
such as the c h ie fs first and second this is not the case: It is n o t true to
assistants, governors over subject say that the outlet* for the energies
tribes, receiver of taxes, eta.
They of the educated men are closed up. On
are not disregarded, much less perse­ the contrary, all Bechuana tribes are
at pains to open up channels of em
cuted by the chief.
On the day of Sekgoma's funeral. In ployment for their educated youth at
B ECH U AN AL AND
PROTECTORATE
home, as a n Inducement to make them
6tay home.
T h e educated B ech u an a are mostly
or th e w ealthy aristocracy, who are
th u s th e h ered itary leaders of the
people.
T h e ir w ords In councils ot
S tate carry m ore w eight th a n do those
of th e uneducated.
T h is has always
been, since th e B echuana6 first knew
schools and churches, an d it continues
to-day.
E ducation is n o t despised,
an d the educated m an is received in
a hig h er class th a n h is own.
NO DISAFFECTION
T here is no w a rra n t for such a posi­
tive statem en t an d pernicious dictum
T here are several intelligen t m en at
Serowe, who while recognising th e
draw backs of th e tribal system , and
of the p resen t regim e, are n o t th e re ­
fore revolutionary, bu t are on th e con­
tra ry helping in th e affairs of the
tribe.
T he chief and th e princes in
ra n k im m ediately below him a re all i
m en of good education an d unques- j
tionable intelligence. T hey co-operate '
as well as can be desired.
No single
Intelligent m an h a s ever qu itted th e
tribal dom ains in Serowe or anyw here
in B echuanaland because of d is­
affection or dissatisfaction w ith th e
chiefly rule or trib a l system .
In conclusion, le t me say that some
of the accusations brought forw ard by
th e w riter of th ese Interestin g and
th o u g h t stim ulating articles on th e
B echuanaland P ro tecto rate are. u n ­
fortunately true, and t h a t several
acts by th e chiefs an d G overnm ent in
th e ad m in istratio n of th e B echuana
land P rotectorate are scandalous, and
clam our for im p artial inquiry and
speedv redress.
Nothing, however, ls
gained eith er by exaggeration of th e
facta, or bv showing one side of the
picture only.
S. M. MOLEMA.
CIVIL SERVANTS IN
RURALAREAS
PROTEST MOVEMENT •
A m eeting of Nylstrooin an d d istric t !
public servants th is week passed the ,
following resolution, sta te s o ur corre-:
spondent: “T h is m eeting, rep resen tativ e ]
of all G overnm ent departm en ts, views !
w ith alarm any a lte rn a ti
proposals to j
th e abolition of local allow ances in
certain areas whereby our sub stan tiv e
em olum ents m ight be reduced. We
adhere to our original stand that the
cost of livtng in th is and other rural
centres is th e sam e as or higher than
th a t prevailing in centres in which
local allowances are paid. We submit
that if a 100 per cent, reduction was
justified In ru ra l centres a similar per­
centage cu t is Justified in their areas
before economies are effected by touch­
ing our substantive salaries We de­
precate service associations associating
themselves with any such proposals."
Collection Number: AD1769
NATIVE ECONOMIC COMMISSION, Lucas Papers
PUBLISHER:
Publisher:- Historical Papers Research Archive
Location:- Johannesburg
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