THE EARL OF CAMPERDOWNSeeing the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies in his place, I wish to ask him whether he can give to the House any information with regard to the new proposals of the Government of the South African Republic in relation to the elective franchise of that country.
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY Op STATE FOR THE COLONIES (The EARL of SELBORNE)My Lords, in answering the question of the noble Earl, perhaps your Lordships will allow me to make a short statement. At the Conference at Bloemfontein proposals were made by Sir Alfred Milner and President Kruger respectively as to the enfranchisement of aliens in the South African Republic. Sir Alfred Milner regarded the President's proposals as altogether inadequate to meet the case, and the Conference broke up. Since the Conference there have been private and unofficial discussions between the Government of the South African Republic and Mr. Hofmeyr, Mr. Herholdt, one of the Cape Ministers, and Mr. Fischer, a member of the Executive of the Orange Free State, which have resulted in new franchise proposals being submitted by President Kruger to the 430 First Volksraad of the South African Republic. Sir Alfred Milner's proposals were, briefly, franchise after five years, retrospective. Under the President's original proposals, not a single Uitlander would get the franchise immediately. Those who came in before 1890 would get it in two and a half years. Others already resident for two years would have to wait five years longer. Those coming in in the future would have to wait seven and a half years. All would have to undergo the objectionable naturalisation period. Under the latest proposals the naturalisation period is removed. Those who came in before 1890 get the franchise at once, and those who came in in 1890 and subsequent years get it as soon as they have completed nine years' residence. There will thus be a small immediate enfranchisement of aliens who are already resident in the country, and additions will be made each year until five years from the passing of the Act, when all aliens who have been seven years in the country at the time and who possess the conditions may be enfranchised. Newcomers will be entitled to the franchise seven years after they have given written notice of their desire to become burghers of the State. The number of members allotted to the Goldfields will be increased by four. In the absence of fuller information it is impossible to be absolutely certain of the practical effect of the whole scheme. So far as we are able to judge from the information before us, the new scheme will have no immediate effect on the representation in the First Volksraad of the alien population; it is not certain that they could carry any of the seats allotted to the Rand until a much later period. That is all the information that is at present in our possession.
§ EARL SPENCERMay I ask the noble Lord when he expects to get information which will enable him to understand the proposals clearly?
§ THE EARL OF SELBORNEWe have asked for information on definite points; but in the absence of any absolutely official communication on the subject it is not always certain that every version submitted to us is inclusive of all the conditions. All I have to say is that we are taking all the steps we can to obtain the most accurate information.