emphasize this fact, although without the guidance and the assistance of Europeans, the encouragement of European merchants, without the European ships that carry it home, and the home manufacturer who converts the cocoa bean into the finished product, this native industry on the Gold Coast would be of no value. But instead of the people of the Gold Coast being exploited for the advantage of the European, he is co-operating with the European in producing to-day something between a half to threefifths of the total cocoa of the world, and it appears to me that an achievement such as this shows the possession by the natives of enterprise and energy, especially when it is remembered that this is the first introduction of the native of the Gold Coast to permanent cultivation. . . . "But this has not been a gradual change, it is a growth of less than thirty years. It fills me with great hope that the people who have so rapidly seized this opportunity may in the near future develop along lines which may result in still greater achievements. It is our business to see that the native of the Gold Coast is assisted as far as possible in these lines of development." SIR HARRY JOHNSTON ON THE ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY, Sir H. H. Johnston, President of the African Society, speaking at the dinner, referred in his remarks to our Society, and to its appreciation of the services of Sir H. Clifford. A friend who is prominently associated with the Society, he said, had called to his notice, not only that the relations of that Society with the Governors of the Gold Coast had been singularly happy, but that during the long governorship of Sir Hugh Clifford, there had been no remonstrance, no word of counsel, tendered on the part of the Aborigines Protection Society towards his Excellency's administration. A SOCIETY FOR IMPERIAL INSURANCE. "There are people who sit on the Committee of the Aborigines Protection Society, who have themselves been governors or held responsible positions in Crown Colonies. There is hardly a person in the Society who has not travelled and seen the Empire for himself or herself, and it is thought in some quarters that the Society exists to carp at administration abroad. Nothing could be more untrue. It is really a society for Imperial Insurance. Those who promoted it, and who support it now, are anxious for the sake of the Empire in general that there should be no wrong-doing brought to light which is not protested against, so that the smoking flax should not burst out into flame. It is rather with that desire privately, and it may be only privately, the Society has sent some slight suggestion or remonstrance or questions of principle to the administration of this or that colony where there are predominating numbers of backward peoples. "It was brought home to me that it was not once necessary to do so while Sir Hugh Clifford was in charge of the Gold Coast, and that is why the Gold Coast has been used increasingly as a text by the Aborigines' Protection Society and other philanthropic societies to show firstly that the natives of Africa, the Negro and Negroid, and higher types as well, cannot get on in Africa without the partnership of the white man, and the white man cannot get on without the full partnership of the native. (Cheers.) I think Sir Hugh Clifford has brought that home to us. "The story of how cocoa has been developed in the Gold Coast is a really wonderful thing. It is something like this, and it shows how the history of the West Indies is connected with that of the West Coast of Africa. First of all, missionaries went out from our country and helped the Negro to become a man, and earn a free livelihood. They trained and educated the Negroes of the West Indies, and went out to West Africa, and it occurred to them that what did so well in the West Indies might do well on the West Coast of Africa." SIR VICTOR BUXTON, On the same occasion Sir Harry referred in very sympathetic terms, which we should like also to record, to the loss of Sir Victor Buxton : 'Before I say the few words that may be necessary for you to realize what Sir Hugh Clifford has done for the British Empire, I should like to express the feelings of all present in voicing our very deep regret over two deaths which have occurred since we last met. Sir Victor Buxton, a very valued councillor of the African Society and the President of the AntiSlavery and Aborigines Protection Society. Sir Victor Buxton, as you all know, was a widely travelled man of the world, a great sportsman and as well-nigh perfect, I think, as a human being could be. He was always wise in expressing his views, he was always warm-hearted, and he has served the cause of the African peoples by not rushing too rapidly to conclusions, but has endeavoured to get at the truth in as pleasant a manner as possible, and thus has made his influence widely felt." (Hear, hear.) Death of Mr. W. P. Schreiner, k.C. THE death of Mr. Schreiner, the High Commissioner for the Union of South Africa, has removed a true friend of the African people, and one who was always ready to give the officers of the Society such help and advice as was possible when they consulted him on questions affecting the natives of South Africa. We quote an extract from an account of Mr. Schreiner in the Morning Post which is of special interest as stating his attitude on the question of the Colour Bar. When the question of union came to the fore Mr. Schreiner declared for federation on the ground that union could not be achieved without the Cape Colony sacrificing her more advanced native policy to the reactionary prejudices of the other colonies. . . . He argued that the Cape delegates had betrayed the interests of the natives, and his criticism was chiefly directed against what proved the most vulnerable clause in the Constitution, that which confined eligibility for a seat in Parliament to candidates of European descent. The Basutos and Native Associations asked Mr. Schreiner to go to England to represent their interests and apprehensions to the Imperial Government, and when the Constitution Bill was passing through Parliament Mr. Schreiner was a most active lobbyist against it. He succeeded, however, in enlisting the opposition of only the Labour Party, and a few Radicals headed by Sir Charles Dilke. At this juncture he expressed his views with great vigour to a representative of the Morning Post, characterizing the Constitution as barbarous and mediæval, and predicting the gravest consequences to the white, coloured, and native population of South Africa. When Mr. Schreiner came to London in 1909 with Dr. Abdurahman and other South African representatives (as mentioned above), the Society entertained him at a breakfast, presided over by the late Sir Fowell Buxton, its President, when the late statesman expressed his views with great clearThese are worth recalling now that the questions of the Colour Bar and the natives' disabilities in South Africa are again prominently before us. ness. " The Union which is proposed has its foundation on bad faith towards the native and coloured population, upon a breach of faith and honour towards them. Statesmen were bound to see that these privileges which were given to the natives of Cape Colony generations ago, should not be whittled away. " Sixty years ago the Imperial Government laid down the principle of non-discrimination on account of race or colour in Cape Colony when its Constitution was granted. That principle, so far as Cape Colony is concerned, has never been departed from. Those political rights have been continuously enjoyed without a shadow of abuse for two generations by all qualified men without distinction of race or colour. Now all the coloured people of South Africa stand alarmed at the prospect that those rights will be taken away. Parliament is to be asked now to deprive every native or coloured inhabitant of Cape Colony, however highly educated and cultured, of the qualification for membership of the proposed Union of Parliament as being not' of European descent.' It is not suggested that the opportunity enjoyed by both white and coloured people in South Africa has ever been abused or that its continuance would operate detrimentally to the interests of the Union or of the Empire. . . . There has never been an abuse of the vote. This is a matter which is deeply felt by every man throughout South Africa whose race and colour do not entitle him to the use of the mystic words' European descent '-whatever they may mean." Y Protection Society President : CHARLES ROBERTS, Esq. Chairman of General Committee: LORD HENRY CAVENDISH-BENTINCK, M.P. Vice-Chairman of General Committee : Treasurers: E. WRIGHT BROOKS, Esq., J.P. Secretary: TRAVERS BUXTON, M.A. Organizing Secretary: JOHN H. HARRIS. Hon. Lecturer : MRS. JOHN H. HARRIS. Chairman of Parliamentary Committee: RIGHT HON. J. W. WILSON, M.P. Bankers: BARCLAY'S BANK, LTD. 95 Victoria Street, S.W.1. Printed in Great Britain by Butler & Tanner, Frome and Lender. |