Native affairs

Native affairs

Publications & Reports

Bleek examines race relations and race distinctions as the cause of conflict in the American, New Zealand, and South African contexts. He submits that the exclusion of natives from New Zealand's parliament, where decisions were made (particularly about land) for them paternalistically, incited the New Zealand Wars. Bleek follows this with his view that the Cape's coloured population would not resort to war -- while alluding to periodic "Hottentot rebellions" and "Malay disturbances" -- as they enjoy "the same privileges" as white citizens (i.e. the Cape Qualified Franchise). However, he qualifies this with the admission that their lack of (quality) education renders them "without political importance", leaving the bulk of decision-making to "the higher civilized race". He appears confident that the Free State-Basuto conflict is unlikely to escalate further before one side sues for peace. Furthermore, Bleek writes that the "native squatters" in Natal must be converted into landowners to avert catastrophic conflict and help advance the settlement where only a few thousand settlers reside yet feel entitled to make decisions unilaterally. He ponders how to prevent Cape Colony inhabitants from intervening in the Basuto-Free State conflict.

Printed newsprint glued on paper

12/01/1865

Two cut out columns of newsprint text, positioned vertically parallel, pasted onto a plus-sized A4 unlined sheet with visible warping. "Native Affairs" is subsequently handwritten onto the mount/paper backing as the title.