On 11th November 1965 Mr Smith and his ministerial colleagues purported to declare Rhodesia independent. In the face of this illegal action, the Queen, acting through her representative the Governor, dismissed them from office and the British Parliament passed the Southern Rhodesia Act 1965 (see below). The approach of successive British Governments towards the problem of granting independence to Rhodesia has throughout been governed by certain basic requirements. These have been formulated as five principles, to which the present Government subsequently added a sixth. These are as follows: (1) The principle and intention of unimpeded progress to majority rule, already enshrined in the 1961 Constitution, would have to be maintained and guaranteed. (2) There would also have to be guarantees against retrogressive amendment of the Constitution. (3) There would have to be immediate improvement in the political status of the African population. (4) There would have to be progress towards ending racial discrimination. (5) The British Government would need to be satisfied that any basis proposed for independence was acceptable to the people of Rhodesia as a whole. (6) It would be necessary to ensure that, regardless of race, there was no oppression of majority by minority or of minority by majority. The British Government have repeatedly made clear their desire for a just and honourable settlement on the basis of these principles. The Prime Minister explored the possibilities of arriving at such a settlement in meetings with Mr Smith on board HMS Tiger in December 1966 and HMS Fearless in October 1968. On 20th June 1969, a referendum was held among those inscribed on the A and B rolls. Voters were invited to give their approval to certain constitutional proposals which had previously been published in outline and to the adoption of a republican form of government. There was an 80% poll of which 82% voted in favour of a republican form of government while 73% favoured amendment of the Constitution on the lines proposed. On 24th June 1969, the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary announced to the House of Commons that the Governor, with the full agreement of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, had sought The Queen's permission to resign and that this had been granted. In addition, he announced the withdrawal of the British Residual Mission from Salisbury and the closing of Rhodesia House in London, both of which took effect on 14th July 1969. At the time of this announcement, British Ministers also stated publicly that the British Government was ready to resume links with Rhodesia as soon as there were people there with effective support and who shared the Six Principles. CONSTITUTION The Constitution of Rhodesia is contained in the Southern Rhodesia (Constitution) Order in Council 1961 (S.I. 1961 No. 2314), which must be read in conjunction with the Southern Rhodesia Act 1965 (Chapter 76) and the Southern Rhodesia Constitution Order 1965 (S.I. 1965 No. 1952). The 1961 Constitution eliminates most of the reserved powers of the British Government for the disallowance of laws passed by the Legislative Assembly. It contains a number of safeguards for the rights of individuals and of communities such as the Declaration of Rights and provision for a Constitutional P Council. Certain basic provisions are specifically entrenched. They include provisions relating to the franchise, the Declaration of Rights, and Constitutional Council, appeal to the Privy Council and certain matters concerning Tribal Trust Land. The effect of such entrenchment is to make it impossible to amend the basic provisions without either the agreement of a majority of votes in each of the four principal racial communities voting separately in a referendum or alternatively the approval of the British Government. The Legislative Assembly consists of sixty-five members of whom fifty are returned predominantly by 'A' Roll voters in constituencies and fifteen predominantly by 'B' Roll voters in electoral districts. As at 30th April 1969, 85,197 voters were registered on the 'A' Roll of whom 80,964 were Europeans, 1,951 were Africans, 1,073 were Asians and 1,209 were persons of mixed race. 5,507 voters were registered on the 'B' Roll of whom 4,695 were Africans. Following the illegal declaration of independence the British Government passed the Southern Rhodesia Act 1965 which declares that Southern Rhodesia continues to be part of Her Majesty's dominions and that the Government and Parliament of the United Kingdom continue to have responsibility and jurisdiction for and in respect of it. The Act empowers Her Majesty by Order in Council to make such provision in relation to Rhodesia or persons or things in any way belonging to or connected with Rhodesia as appear to her to be necessary or expedient in consequence of any constitutional action undertaken therein. The Southern Rhodesia Constitution Order 1965 which was made under this Act, declares that any Constitution which the illegal regime may purport to promul gate is void and of no effect. The Order also prohibits the Legislative Assembly from making laws or transacting any other business and declares any proceedings in defiance of this prohibition void and of no effect. It also suspends the Ministerial system and empowers a Secretary of State to exercise the executive authority of Rhodesia on Her Majesty's behalf. MINISTRIES Sir Charles P. Coghlan, KCMG, 1st October 1923 to 1st September 1927 H. U. Moffat, CMG, 2nd September 1927 to 5th July 1933 G. Mitchell, 6th July to 11th September 1933 Sir Godfrey Huggins, PC, CH, KCMG (later 1st Viscount Malvern), 12th September 1933 to 7th September, 1953 R. S. Garfield Todd, 7th September 1953 to 17th February 1958 Sir Edgar Whitehead, KCMG, OBE, 18th February 1958 to 16th December 1962 W. J. Field, CMG, MBE, 17th December 1962 to 13th April 1964 I. D. Smith, from 13th April 1964 1964 to 11th November 1965 T COMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMA ISLANDS HE Commonwealth of The Bahama Islands comprise an archipelago of about 700 islands and more than 2,000 rocks and cays, lying between latitudes 20° 55- and 27° 25- N. and longitudes 72° 35- and 50° 5- W.; the total land surface area of the islands is 5,380 square miles. The group is separated from Florida on the west by the Straits of Florida and on the south from Cuba by the Old Bahama and Nicholas Channels. About 30 of the islands are inhabited and the more important of these include Abaco, Acklins and Crooked Island, Andros, the Berry and Bimini Islands, Cat, Cay Sal and Cay Lobos, Eleuthera, Exuma, Grand Bahama, Long Island, Mayaguana, New Providence, Ragged Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador. Andros is the largest in size, but New Providence upon which the capiial, Nassau, is situated, is the most important. The Bahamas lie on a submarine shelf which rises steeply in the east from depths of over 2,000 fathoms, and in the west forms the shallow seas of the Great Bahama Bank. Most of the islands are located on the eastern edge of this shelf and since the seas are coral-bearing the coasts tend to be complex. The islands are composed of corraline limestone and are usually long and narrow, each rising from the shore to a low ridge, beyond which lie lagoons and swamps. The highest point, in Cat Island, is 206 feet above sea level, but Grand Bahama barely reaches 40 feet. Since the rock is permeable there are no streams and the water supply has to be derived either from shallow wells or from rainwater collected in catchments and cisterns. The shallow soils found in small pockets in the limestone rock afford limited cultivation and suit a variety of sub-tropical vegetables and fruit. The warm waters of the Gulf Stream render the winter climate of the Bahamas agreeably mild and frosts are never experienced. Temperatures during this season average 21°C (70°F), and summer temperatures, although modified by the sea, vary between 27° and 32°C (80° and 90°F). Most of the rain falls in May, June, September and October and thunderstorms are frequent during the summer months. The total rainfall is comparatively slight, averaging 44 inches per annum, but it varies between the islands from 30 to 60 inches. Censuses are taken every ten years and the population at the last census (November 1963) was 130,220. The estimated figure at the end of 1969 was 200,000. The population is very unevenly distributed and more than half the people live on New Providence; the average population density of the islands is only 11 persons per square mile. Abaco, Andros, the Biminis, Cat Island, Eleuthera, Exuma, Grand Bahama, Great Inagua, Harbour Island, Long Cay, Long Island and Acklins all have more than 1,000 inhabitants. On 31st December 1968 the population of New Providence was estimated to be 110,000 and that of Grand Bahama 23,000. The birth-rate in 1967 was 29.2 per 1,000 and the death-rate 8.3 per 1,000. Religion is predominantly Christian, the main denominations being Baptist, Anglican and Roman Catholic. English is the official and spoken language in the Bahamas. The climate of the islands is healthy and tropical diseases are absent. Preventive needs are met by child welfare and ante-natal clinics. Immunisation against |