House of Assembly: Vol45 - SATURDAY 16 JANUARY 1943
Pursuant to proclamation of H.E. the Governor-General, No. 201, dated 21st August, 1942, summoning Parliament to meet on this day for the dispatch of business, members met in the Assembly Chamber of the House of Assembly, Parliament Houses, Cape Town, and Mr. Speaker took the Chair at
The CLERK of the House read the proclamation.
Mr. SPEAKER announced that in accordance with the provisions of the Representation of Natives Act of 1936, the tenure of office of the following three members expired on the 7th June, 1942, viz.:
- (1) Mrs. Violet Margaret Livingstone Ballinger, representing the Cape Eastern Electoral Circle;
- (2) Mr. Donald Barkly Molteno, representing the Cape Western Electoral Circle; and
- (3) Mr. Gordon Kingswood Hemming, representing the Transkei Electoral Circle.
Mr. SPEAKER further announced that the vacancies thus caused had been filled by the re-election of Mrs. Ballinger on the 19th August, 1942, of Mr. Molteno on the 26th October, 1942, and of Mr. Hemming on the 29th October, 1942.
Mr. SPEAKER further announced that during the recess vacancies occurred in the representation in this House of the following electoral divisions:
- (1) Sea Point, on the 2nd October, 1942, owing to the resignation of Maj. G. B. van Zyl;
- (2) Claremont, on the 28th December, 1942, owing to the resignation of the Hon. R. Stuttaford; and
- (3) Barberton, on the 30th December, 1942, owing to the resignation of Col. the Hon. D. Reitz.
Mr. SPEAKER also announced that the following vacancies had been filled, viz.:
- (1) Riversdale, on the 23rd April, 1942, by the election of Mr. Pieter Mattheus Kruger le Roux;
- (2) Hottentots Holland, on the 15th October, 1942, by the election of Mr. Johan Georg Carinus;
- (3) Sea Point, on the 11th January, 1943, by the election of Mr. Charles Bettsworth Mills Abbott.
Mrs. BALLINGER and Mr. MOLTENO, introduced by the Minister of Native Affairs and Mr. Payn, made, and subscribed to, the oath, and took their seats.
Mr. P. M. K. LE ROUX, introduced by Mr. S. P. le Roux and Dr. Dönges, made, and subscribed to, the affirmation, and took his seat.
Messrs. CARINUS and ABBOTT, introduced by Mr. Heyns and Mr. Humphreys, made, and subscribed to, the oath, and took their seats.
Mr. SPEAKER and members proceeded to the Senate House to attend the ceremony of the opening of Parliament, and on their return,
Mr. SPEAKER took the Chair and read prayers.
Mr. SPEAKER appointed the Prime Minister and Dr. Malan a Committee to assist Mr. Speaker in regard to the printing of the House.
Mr. SPEAKER appointed the following members to constitute, with Mr. Speaker, the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders, viz.: The Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, the Minister of Mines, the Minister of Labour, Dr. Malan, Mr. Conroy, Mr. J. G. Strydom, Mr. Higgerty, Mr. Tom Naudé and Mr. Sauer.
Mr. SPEAKER reported that the House had this day attended the ceremony of the opening of Parliament and that His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government was pleased to deliver an opening speech to both Houses of Parliament, of which, for greater accuracy, he had received a copy, as follows:
Mr. President and Members of the Senate:
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:
I welcome you to this the Seventh Session of the Eighth Parliament of the Union. I do so in the absence of His Excellency the Governor-General, whose continued ill-health is deeply regretted by us all.
Our relations with our Allies and with neutral states continue to be most cordial. In particular our intercourse with the various governments on the Continent of Africa has been characterised by good neighbourliness, coupled with mutual confidence and respect. The integration of the war effort, more especially in matters of supply, constantly occupies the minds of all Allied Governments, and problems of great complexity frequently arise. The facility with which these are surmounted is an evidence of the spirit of mutual helpfulness which prevails.
The war in which we are engaged has now lasted nearly three-and-a-half years. While the task still to be achieved is one of very great magnitude, we have reason for profound gratitude in the turn which events have taken, more especially in recent months.
The African continent in particular has been cleared of the enemy except in one small corner of North Africa. To this result the Land, Air and Sea forces of the Union have made important contributions. The fall of Tobruk was a heavy blow, but the disaster was met with fortitude, and the gaps in the ranks which it created were filled by voluntary enlistment. Our army is today larger than at any previous period of the war.
The entry of Japan into the war and the consequent danger to South Africa and its maritime communications were countered by the occupation of Madagascar, in which operation Union forces played an important part.
Because of these far-reaching successes the war is happily passing away from Africa, and the service of part of our army could usefully be transferred to other war theatres. You will, therefore, be asked to extend your approval to a proposal, authorising the service, on a voluntary basis, of members of the South African forces outside the Continent of Africa during the present war.
My Ministers desire once again to express their appreciation of the services rendered in connection with our war effort by men and women, European and non-European, outside the Union and within its borders, in military service, in the provision of munitions and supplies, and generally in the maintenance of the Home Front.
The course of the war, and in particular the extension of its scope which took place at the end of 1941, accentuated the difficulties of the problem of supplies.
Access to a number of essential materials has been cut off, and the pressure on shipping has increased considerably. Steps have been taken to deal with the various aspects of these questions. Controllers were appointed in respect of a wide range of goods, and this organisation, together with that of the Director-General of War Supplies, has been merged in a single Directorate of Supply, which will deal with most supply questions, whether for war purposes or for the maintenance of necessary civilian activities. At the same time the Union is participating in various arrangements of an international character with a view to the procurement and distribution of materials.
While the conditions now prevailing in the world have necessarily caused difficulties and a certain amount of hardship, my Ministers have done all in their power to meet the situation thus created, and to facilitate the transition from a peace-time to a war-time economy. They appreciate the co-operation which they have received from the people of the Union, and desire to express their thanks for help rendered by public bodies of all kinds, and in particular by trade unions and employers’ organisations, as well as by the various Government services. The assistance which has been readily given by representatives of the workers, coupled with the manner in which industry has adjusted itself to war requirements, has been an important factor in the Union’s war effort.
The production of gold during 1942 fell somewhat short of the record figure attained in 1941. In this field of activity also the supply problem has been an everpresent one, and shortages have necessitated the closing down of non-producing mines and a considerable restriction of development. My Ministers are satisfied, however, that the importance for the war effort of the maintenance of gold production is generally appreciated, and they trust that essential requirements to make this possible will be forthcoming.
The world demand for diamonds, especially industrial diamonds, has increased considerably. While our diamond mines remain closed, the Union has met its share of this increased demand out of alluvial production and stocks on hand. During the year a new Diamond Producers’ Agreement has been negotiated and will be laid upon the Tables of both Houses.
Special attention continues to be given to the development of base minerals, especially those required for war purposes, and a state prospecting scheme has been inaugurated.
The serious drought during the last summer season had an adverse effect on agricultural production, and on food supplies as well as on prices to the consumer. As a result steps were taken to husband stocks, and an intensive campaign for an increase in production was launched. To this end a Controller of Food Supplies was appointed. The organisation set up as a result has done valuable work in meeting the danger of serious shortages with which the country was confronted. Producers have responded to the call made on them, and climatic conditions so far are full of promise of a favourable season. A considerable improvement in the food situation in 1943 can in consequence be anticipated.
In general the position of the farming industry, having regard to the various difficulties which the prevailing abnormal conditions have created, and which my Ministers have to the best of their ability assisted in meeting, is at present satisfactory.
My Ministers have continued their policy of maintaining and, where possible, extending social services. Problems of Public Health have received considerable attention and important advances have been made. Increased funds have been made available for commitment for housing and steps have been taken to minimise the slowing up of housing schemes which the shortage of building materials tends to cause. The Department of Social Welfare has extended its activities in several important respects.
The problems incident to the return from a war-time to a peace-time economy, some of which are already in evidence, are constantly before my Ministers. The Social and Economic Planning Council has been established and has already presented its first report which will be laid before you. The special questions which arise in connection with the re-adjustment of dicharged volunteers to civilian life are being dealt with, and good progress has been made by the Civil Re-employment Board in this connection.
Since your last meeting elections under the Representation of Natives Act have taken place. The four Senators and three members of the House of Assembly thus elected are entitled to take their seats during the present Session.
While the heavy task of carrying on the war calls for administrative rather than legislative action, various legislative measures are considered necessary and will be submitted to you. Among these are the following: Bills to consolidate and amend the law dealing with the administration of estates, and also the law in regard to Insurance; a Bill in connection with the payment of Farm Mortgage Interest Subsidies; a Bill for the amendment of the Native Administration Act; a Bill to amend the Insolvency Law so as to make it applicable to South-West Africa and in other respects; and a further Bill to co-ordinate the various provincial laws in regard to prescription.
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:
Additional Estimates of Expenditure for the current financial year and Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the ensuing financial year will be laid before you.
Mr. President and Members of the Senate:
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:
In commending these matters to your consideration I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may guide and sustain you in your labours.
In His Majesty’s name I now declare this the Seventh Session of the Eighth Parliament of the Union to be duly opened.
Mr. SPEAKER announced that the portrait in oils of the late General the Hon. J. B. M. Hertzog, painted by Professor Edward Roworth, which was accepted by Mr. President and myself on behalf of both Houses of Parliament during the 1939 session and lent to the South African National Gallery for exhibition has, at our request, been returned. The portrait has been hung in the Dining Room with the portraits of other former Prime Ministers and Statesmen.
Late Gen. the Hon. J. B. M. Hertzog.
I move, as an unopposed motion—
This is not the time, nor is it the proper occasion to review at length the career of the late General Hertzog. During the last few months since his passing away we have heard expressions of deep and sincere gratitude for the services he has rendered to the country. Today it is desirable that we as a House should place on record, formally place on record, and give expression to our deep sense of National loss suffered by us in his passing. The motion before us records the remarkable fact that for nearly sixteen years without a break he was Prime Minister of this country. He was the Leader of this House and Prime Minister of the Government of this country. One can say that with the exception of a few years, shortly after the last war General Hertzog without a break was at the head of affairs throughout the period, between the two wars. It is a remarkable and unique fact, unique certainly in South Africa, that he was at the head of affairs for such a long time at a period like that without any break. To have occupied a position like that meant that he possessed very remarkable qualities, he must have possessed a remarkable combination of qualities. During the time that he was Prime Minister a great deal was achieved. It was an important period of great development, development in our constitutional position and in other respects in South Africa. The happenings of those days are fresh in our memories and it is unnecessary for me at this stage to say much about him. But South Africa and its people will never forget the contribution he made to the development of our country. It will never forget the lead he gave in those important days. The services rendered by him and the contribution made by him will be remembered with gratitude in our history. The motion also speaks of his personal qualities and speaks of his uprightness of character, of his honesty of purpose. There, too, I feel that General Hertzog has rendered an everlasting service to this country. He was a man who maintained a high standard, both in his public life and in his private life. He set an example which I hope will always be before us. He set a high standard of public life and of private life. He set an example and established a record which will always be preserved in grateful memory. On both grounds—his outstanding public services over a long period of time and his nobility of character and honesty of purpose—he has achieved a high reputation and he has acquired for himself a place in the history of South Africa which undoubtedly will be preserved for many long years. His name is counted today among the most outstanding sons of South Africa; the lustre which he has brought to this House, and the glory he has achieved for South Africa are deserving of the grateful remembrance by our people. I feel that we must here record our appreciation of what he has done for and of what he has been to the people and to our country.
I deem it an honour to second the motion which has just been proposed by the Rt. Hon. the Prime Minister. It is not so long ago that this House, when Gen. Hertzog withdrew from public life, had the opportunity of paying a tribute to this statesman who has now passed away, and that tribute came from both sides of the House, it came from those who had differed from him, just as much as it came from those who had not differed from him. Today the House again has a similar opportunity, but unfortunately the circumstances are entirely different. Today we have the opportunity of rendering homage to his memory. The circumstances are painful because we know today that while rendering homage to him he is no longer with us. General Hertzog in one way or another has co-operated, has worked, with most members in this House. There is hardly anyone here with whom he has not cooperated at some time or other. There are also many members on both sides of the House from whom he has differed from time to time. Yet I feel that I can say that we all agree today on one point, and that we are, all of one view, namely that he was a great historical figure. As such he has now departed—or rather let me say that a great historical figure has been taken away from South Africa. A man during his lifetime, especially when he takes part in a struggle, in a fight, is often judged by what he has done or by what he has said, he is judged by what in real fact if one studies the future, if one looks at the history of the country, in its full perspective, is of very minor importance, because in the long run history as a whole will judge everyone who has taken part in public life by the contributions he has made to advance the good of the people and to help the people along. That is how Gen. Hertzog will be judged, and if he is judged in that spirit the points of difference which have existed, will be forgotten, the fact that he has differed from this side or the other side, that he has differed from this or that individual, will be forgotten. Then the great services which he has rendered to the country will be remembered. The services which he has rendered will then be remembered with greater appreciation, than has been the case so far. Some of the services he has rendered to this country arise in my mind, some of the contributions which he has made to the future of South Africa come into my mind. There is a section of country, the Afrikaans speaking section, who will never forget the the fight he has fought for their rights, not only in theory, but also in applying them in practice. Afrikaans speaking South Africa will never forget General Hertzog. We shall never forget the fight he fought for the recognition of South Africa as an independent entity in the world. We shall never forget the fight he has fought for the interests of South Africa, interests which to him must always come first. We shall never forget the fight he has fought to secure greater freedom for South Africa, to secure self governing rights for South Africa. Those services have been immense and the people of this country will never forget them. They will never forget where he stood in the fight for equal rights and liberty; this prosterity will realise that he fought for the only foundation on which we can have a united people and a united South Africa. That is how history will see him, and the day will come when there will no longer be any quarrelling about this attitude at any particular time or on any particular occasion. The time will come when we shall all acknowledge a great historical figure, when all of us will render greater homage than ever before to his memory, and in a spirit of greater appreciation than has been the case so far.
We on this side of the House, the Afrikaner Party, wish to associate ourselves with the motion proposed by the Prime Minister. The passing away of the late General Hertzog to us especially came as a severe and heavy blow. As hon. members know, until his death General Hertzog was the leader or the honorary leader of the Afrikaner Party and we on this side of the House have followed his lead for the past forty years. There are people who temporarily followed his lead and who afterwards differed from him, but we on this side can say in all truth that we have followed him for forty years, and we are grateful that we were able to follow him and to stand by him unto the end. In those forty years we got to know him in the first place as man who was inspired by a sincere love of his people, a man who invariably set out to do what was best for his people, and we got to know him as a man who placed the interests of the country before the interests of any other country. We got to know him as a doughty fighter. If he was convinced that a thing was in the interest of South Africa, it did not matter to him who disagreed with him—he carried on and persisted in doing what he considered best. In all those circumstances friend and foe alike, will acknowledge that he was a great outstanding personality, and friend and foe will acknowledge his absolute honesty and the sincerity of his motives. That is the type of man who has passed away and we shall miss him. But he has done so much for our people and our country that I am convinced that the principles and the traditions for which he stood will live after him, and long after his death his figure will continue to stand out in the history of our people. We on this side of the House miss him tremendously as our leader, as our revered leader.
I desire to say a few words upon this motion. No one of the calibre of the late Gen. Hertzog can pass away without leaving a mark upon the politics of the whole life of the country to which he belonged, and the part which the late Gen. Hertzog played in the social life, the public life, and particularly the politics of the country is no exception to that rule. He was distinguished by certain very definite characteristics, and one of them was, I think his courage. He was a fighter from the early days and remained a fighter until the day of his death, and he was prepared to take a stand not only against those who had been his opponents from time to time, and for a great part of his life, but he was prepared to take a stand even against those with whom he had been intimately associated, when he felt that the cause demanded it. I think I may be pardoned for placing amongst virtues the virtue of courage very highly indeed, and I am sure that this House will agree that the capacity to be able to take that stand in all circumstances is something of which everybody might be proud. The next characteristic to which I desire to refer is his courtesy.
Hear, hear.
The motion which has been moved by the Rt. Hon. the Prime Minister refers to the part which was played by the late Gen. Hertzog in the constitutional changes which took place during the time when he was Prime Minister of the country. But on these constitutional changes I most profoundly differed from him, and I still most profoundly differ from him, but in all these controversies—and they were very keen ones indeed—in which I was associated as a prominent opponent of the measures which he was introducing, it is right that I should say that the courtesy which distinguished him was never wanting, and I am glad to be able to look back and think that in all these strenuous times and in all the times during which I sharply differed from him on the floor of this House, and in the country, it never broke through the pleasure which one had in meeting him in private life, and the personal relations which I am glad to say always prevailed. The courtesy which distinguished the late Gen. Hertzog is a characteristic which every member of this House will desire to preserve for himself. There is one further feature of the late Gen. Hertzog’s life that I should like to refer to, and that is his consistency. I think that probably, looking back through the historical characters of our country, it will be hard to find a politician who has been more consistent in the broad outlines of the policy which he has advocated. Some people think that consistency is a doubtful virtue. I do not think so myself, because I think that inconsistencies and changes very often are symptomatic of want of thought, but in the late Gen. Hertzog’s life there was undoubtedly a consistency which distinguished his attitude, his advocacy and his demeanour, his outlook towards the great affairs of public life, and in those characteristics we feel that the death of the late Gen. Hertzog has left a gap which will be very difficult indeed to fill. I desire to associate myself sincerely with the vote of condolence to the members of his family.
Never in my public career perhaps have I felt myself more honoured than I do today in being privileged to support this motion of the Rt. Hon. the Prime Minister on behalf of this side of the House. We feel that so far as we are concerned, we have lost our most cherished leader. In General Hertzog we have lost a man who in the past—and I have no doubt that in the future we shall feel the same in spite of his passing away—has always pointed the road to follow a man who has given a lead to the Afrikaner people. To us he was an outstanding, a gigantic figure, among other predecessors of his who were also great Afrikaner heroes. In the person of our beloved friend who has passed away we had a man with a high sense of duty, a man of blameless character, a man who occupied a place in South Africa so great and important that it could be filled by very few indeed. We feel that he has uplifted the Boer Nation, the people of South Africa, out of the wreckage and out of the ashes. He has nursed the people of South Africa. He got the people of South Africa to rise up and he gave them a National consciousness. We feel that his place cannot be filled by any individual. Our hope is that that nation, which was brought by him to that stage of self consciousness will in the not distant future occupy the position which he has achieved for it. We feel that there are traits of character in this great statesman of South Africa, who has now passed away, which we must leave to the historian to deal with in detail. But there are unquestionably some qualities which have struck us in him and which we cannot refrain from referring to very briefly here. What has struck us in our revered friend was his humility; the humility which he displayed at the outset of his life’s work and practically ever since; a humility which has always been characteristic of him throughout his life; that humility always struck us, and it even struck us when we were privileged to attend his funeral. The home in which he passed away was a simple farm house, an ordinary farm house such as one finds on the farm of a well-to-do farmer. He was humble in a dignified sense. That was his life, and that was how he died, and that is what we so greatly admire in this great son of South Africa whose passing away we mourn here today. So far as his leadership is concerned I believe it will be recognised that there have been very few leaders in the world who have possesed the qualities which the late General Hertzog possessed in such large measure, the qualities of being able to keep together those who followed him. He possessed those great virtues characteristic of a leader, namely that he was able to concentrate and consolidate the attention of the people on one opponent. He thoroughly understood how to keep the consolidated thoughts of the people on one issue so that the people would not break up into small groups. That was his great virtue, that was the secret of his leadership. That is what we admired in him and that policy which he set forth as the main aim for South Africa will always be followed by us. We only deplore that he did not live long enough to lead us to the achievement of that aim. We support the Motion of the Prime Minister.
It may be disirable, it certainly is appropriate that I should say a word or two in support of the resolution moved by the Prime Minister. For quite a time the late Gen. Hertzog and I were joint fathers of this House. He is now dead — he left me alone. The relationship extending over many years between Gen. Hertzog and myself have been both peculiar and varied, but it has always been steadfast in one particular, namely that of friendship. I have had opportunities from all angles of estimating his character, I have been in opposition, sometimes in bitter opposition. And viewing that aspect of our relationship I must endorse to the full every word that my colleague, the Minister of Mines, here spoke with regard to his courtesy — Gen. Hertzog’s courtesy when he was standing up against bitter attacks, such as perhaps I was at one time master of. I have also had the advantage of estimating the value of Gen. Hertzog as a colleague. I served in the Cabinet with him. Others of my friends opposite had that unique opportunity too. Again, I must speak of the invariable courtesy of Gen. Hertzog in relation to his colleagues, however one may have differed, and one did frequently differ very emphatically from him — but those who differed from him always were the recipients of his courtesy. I also can speak of his courage. One thing I do want to stress as something which is uppermost in my mind is this, that whenever Gen. Hertzog expressed himself, or whenever he put his views on paper, one was completely and absolutely certain that it was an honest expression of opinion — completely honest. Never did he truckle to expediency in my experience. I merely want to close with this. The story of Gen. Hertzog’s life is the history of the Union of South Africa, and his signature on the pages of that history is very heavily underlined. I support the motion with sympathy and regret.
Motion agreed to unanimously, all the members standing.
Late Hon. P. G. W. Grobler.
I further want to move as an unopposed motion—
It is not necessary for me to say a great deal on this motion. If there was one man in this House who was everybody’s friend, who had neither private nor public enemies, it was Oom Piet. He was one of the most beloved members of this House. He was a great friend of the Boer People, a man animated by sympathy and good feeling for all sections of the population, and it was his privilege to render many important public services during his lifetime. I shall never forget my own personal friendship with him in our young days. There are few of my friends whose friendship I have appreciated more greatly than that of Piet Grobler. I am convinced that he will be remembered for long by all of us in this House and outside of this House — that he will be remembered by all who have known him. Now that he has passed away and we no longer have him in our midst we can do no more than express our sincere sympathy with his family in their severe loss. I move.
I wish to second the motion proposed by the Rt. Hon. the Prime Minister, and I wish to associate myself with everything he has said about our friend who has passed from us. Piet Grobler in this House was a link with the past, and to most of us a link with the glorious past. It is always a very good thing that in this House we should have such links with the past. We have to cope with problems here, we have to deal with the future and with new conditions that arise, and it is a good thing that we should enter the future in the shadow of the highest and the best of the past, and it is a credit to those who form such links with the past that they are able to serve our people in that way. And thus it was with Oom Piet Grobler. I also wish to emphasise what the Rt. Hon. the Prime Minister has emphasised, and that is that in addition to the position which he occupied in public life, he was a man of lovable personality. That is how we all knew him. I personally worked with him in the same Party; I worked with him in the same Cabinet. Personally I also differed from him and I opposed him in this House when he was a member of another Government, and yet I can testify to the fact that throughout everything his personal friendly relationship was never in any way disturbed by the fact of our being in opposing camps. I feel that is an achievement which we should try to emulate. For that reason we on this side of the House deeply mourn his passing away and we sincerely support the motion proposed by the Rt. Hon. the Prime Minister.
We on this side of the House wish to associate ourselves with the motion proposed by the Rt. Hon. the Prime Minister, and we want to add that we spent almost half a lifetime here together with our friend who has now been taken away. We want to say that the late Piet Grobler was one of those men who knew how to make those who opposed him respect his views. His death has removed one of the last remaining links with the Transvaal Republican days. That link is no longer there. We knew our friend as a man who to his very backbone was a Republican, a man who was always prepared to brave even the greatest dangers when the interests of his people were at stake. We associate ourselves with the motion proposed by the Prime Minister.
We also wish to associate ourselves with this motion, and we want to express our regret and sympathy at the loss which our country has suffered by the death of our beloved friend, Oom Piet. What always struck us in his career was his great patriotism, which he always shewed in everything he did. In him we had a great patriot who will always remain an outstanding example to all of us. What also struck us in him was that even after he had left public life he continued to take an interest in public affairs; even during the last session of Parliament he used to come here and on every possible occasion when he was here we used to see him in this Parliament. To our mind he was a true patriot, a true friend, and an exemplary Afrikaner, whose example we hope to follow.
Motion agreed to unanimously, all the members standing.
On the motion of the Prime Minister, the House adjourned at