South-West Africa

Occupations.

In the moister northern area, maize, potatoes, pumpkins and beans are grown, but the climate elsewhere is too dry for much agriculture. Farther south, along the Avob river are several good artesian wells, which offer opportunities for irriga tion and the growth of wheat. In 1926 there were, in South-West Africa, 1,650 farms, with 12,351 morgen under crops, the area devoted to maize being 9,241 morgen. The country is more suit able for pastoralism. In the drier areas of the south and centre, sheep and goats are kept, while in the north, and in parts of the centre, cattle thrive. The following figures give the numbers of live stock in the country:—Cattle, 567,798; sheep, 1,174,958; goats, 967,72o; 'donkeys, 45,363; horses, 16,160. In addition to these there were, in the native reserves, 53,566 large stock and 221,157 small stock.

The following minerals were exported in 1926:—Copper ore, 41,967 tons (L319,000), almost entirely from about Tsumeb; alluvial diamonds, 638,801 carats (12,000,752); cassiterite, 198.9 tons (f39,500). Other minerals, such as iron, marble and gold, are believed to occur, but are not being exploited. The output of vanadium in the Grootfontein area is increasing.

Administration.

The administration of South-West Africa is vested in the Government of the Union of South Africa. The country, exclusive of Ovampoland, a native area, is divided into r7 magisterial divisions, under magistrates, who have administra tive and judicial powers. At the head is the administrator, assisted by an executive of four other members, who are chosen by the Assembly from its own members. By the addition of these other members, chosen by the administrator and approved by the gov ernor-general, the executive may become an advisory council. The Legislative Assembly, established, like the executive committee and the advisory council, in 1925, consists of 18 members, 12 being elected and six being appointed by the administrator, sub ject to the approval of the governor-general. It has powers to legislate on all matters, except such as are expressly reserved, e.g., native affairs, railways, immigration, banking, etc. The Roman-Dutch law of the Cape Province is administered through out the territory, together with ordinances, passed by the Legis lative Assembly, and some portions of German law.

After the conquest of German South-West Africa in 1915 by the Union forces under Gen. Botha the conquered territory was placed under martial law. The German troops were interned and subsequently (in 1919) repatriated, together with some 600 "un desirables." German civilians were allowed to return to their homes and continue their ordinary business. They gave the au thorities no serious trouble, partly because they believed in the ultimate victory of Germany in the World War. This was evi denced by the local banks and traders maintaining a rate of ex change of 24 marks to the L sterling until Nov. 1918. When this artificial rate broke down serious losses followed. The Germans, however, continued to entertain false hopes and after the armistice they appealed to President Wilson for help on "self-determina tion" lines, saying that they wished to become an autonomous republic leagued to Germany. They got no satisfaction from Wilson and were told (Oct. 1919) by the governor-general of the Union, Lord Buxton, that the severance from Germany was irre vocable. But the Germans, numbering 8,000, still desired to live under the German Civil Code.

In 1923 Gen. Smuts, prime minister of the Union, in Lon don, made an arrangement with Germany; and this arrange ment was given legal sanction by an act of the Union parliament (Act 30 of 1924) and in the result out of 3,489 German adults only 261 refused to accept British nationality. At that time

(1925) there were fully I o,000 non-German white settlers in the country, the majority South Africans.

The constitutional position was clear. By the Treaty of Ver sailles Germany ceded her colonies to the principal Allied and Associated Powers and the mandate for its administration was conferred on "his Britannic majesty for and on behalf of the Government of the Union of South Africa." By the terms of the mandate the country could be governed by the mandatory as if it were an integral part of its own territory. Martial law ended on Jan. 3, 1921.

The mandatory had undertaken to treat the Germans "as part of the people, with the same privileges and the same responsibil ities as the others." By Act 42 of 1925 of the Union parliament a legislative assembly for South-West Africa was set up. The ter ritory was divided into 12 constituencies, each electing one mem ber. The franchise was confined to adult European males and the electors numbered some 6,5oo. Besides the elected members, six members were nominated by the Union Government. An executive committee of five members, under the chairmanship of the administrator, was elected by the assembly, which met first in June 1926. Its functions were severely limited; it had less power than the provincial councils in the Union, for it had no control of education. Nevertheless, it served a useful purpose. In 1928 the administrator was able to refer to the healthy financial state of the country, to the success of the land settlement schemes and to the increase of immigration and of trade. Arrangements were made (1928-29) for the settlement in the territory of some 30o Boer families living in southern Angola.

Native Affairs.

In general the natives accepted Union rule willingly. In 1917 it was found necessary to send a military force into Ovamboland, where German authority had been very slight.

Excellent relations were established with the Ovambo. In 1922 the Bondelzwart Hottentots, irritated by certain regulations with regard to cattle-branding, taxes on dogs and other matters, rose in revolt. The rising was suppressed with considerable loss of life and in a manner which gave rise to justly adverse criticism. In 1925 the Bastaards or Rheoboths, a small Dutch-speaking sept with much white blood, who had a raad (parliament) of their own, claimed complete autonomy and defied the authorities. On this occasion much tact and patience were shown and the difficulty was overcome without bloodshed. For most of the tribes large reserves were provided, the chief trouble, in an arid country, being to secure them adequate water supplies. In the legislative assembly, one member of the administrative advisory council is charged with the care of native interests. Largely because of the native troubles an inquiry by the Permanent Mandates' Com mission into the administration of the mandate was held in Nov., 1928. Eventual incorporation with the Union is possible. Sir Howard Gorges governed the country in the martial law period. Successive administratch-s: Gysbert Hofmeyr (Oct. 192o), A. J. Werth (June 1925), and Dr. D. G. Conradie (Apr. 1933). See the Official Year Book of the Union of South Africa: No. 8 (Pretoria, 1927), and the annual reports to the League of Nations.

See also MANDATE. (F. R. C.)