Federal Party Manifesto
The Federal Party was one of several political parties that were formed from the early 1950s onwards. This one was formed on 7 August 1953 by the leaders of the ruling parties in the three territories (Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia and Nyasaland) in order to contest the Federal elections in December. The elections saw the new party win 24 of the 35 seats. In the general elections in Northern Rhodesia the following year, it won ten of the twelve elected seats.
[From Wikipedia]
I thought that this Manifesto would be a good addition to that Wikipedia Page - but my endeavours have been rejected, see >here<
[Comments in italics are contemporary, by Betty Clay]
Federal Party
POLICY
PRINCIPLES
1. To build a strong and prosperous state which will be a bulwark of the Commonwealth in Central Africa, imbued with British traditions of justice, freedom, and loyalty to the Crown.
2. To serve the interests of all the lawful inhabitants of the Federation, to foster good relations between the various races and to promote their common welfare.
3. To preserve the fundamental rights of the individual throughout the Federal States, with freedom of speech, freedom of assembly within the law, freedom of the Press and freedom of Worship.
4. To support loyally the Federal Constitution, while working for full membership of the Commonwealth in the shortest possible time.
5. To foster and develop friendly relations with adjoining territories and to co-operate in matters of mutual interest.
6. To keep open the possibility of other and adjoining territories becoming part of the Federation.
7. To ensure that the future of the Federal State lies in the hands of the representatives of its inhabitants.
8. To maintain and encourage private enterprise, but to call in State enterprise or aid where the national interest so demands.
9. To maintain the use of English as the only official language of the Federation.
AIMS
Development of Natural Resources
10. To put into operation a vigorous programme of development throughout
the Federation, designed to give full employment and prosperity to all
its inhabitants, to provide for the absorption of its growing population,
and to make full use of its vast natural resources.
Immigration
11. To encourage planned and selective immigration at the greatest rate at which the Federation can absorb immigrants, in the belief that a large European population is essential to the progress, prosperity and happiness of all races.
12. To take such steps as may be necessary to prevent the entry into the Federation of peoples or individuals whose presence might be inimical to the economic, racial or political stability of the Federation.
What steps?
13. To guard against Communism and other subversive activities within the Federation.
How?
Industry
14. To encourage, and protect where justified, the development
of primary and secondary industries, especially those based
on the Federation's products or considered necessary to its
economy, in order to achieve a greater measure of self-sufficiency
and a healthy trade balance through increased exports.
15. To encourage the growth of primary and secondary industries and trade by taxation relief in respect of capital expenditure, by assisting in finding export markets, by trade agreements with other countries and by protection against dumping or other unfair competition.
16. To encourage the development of a large tourist trade.
Communications
17. To give high priority to the improvement and expansion of
communications by rail, road, water and air, postal services
and broadcasting, in order to keep ahead of the growing needs
of the country and to provide for its anticipated development.
To investigate the use of the Zambesi and other waterways as a
means of transport and communication.
Power and Water Supplies
18. To strive for the acquisition of West and East Coast ports and rail links thereto, and with this end in view to enter into negotiations with the appropriate neighbouring territories.
19. To ensure an adequate supply of power for the maintenance and development of industry and agriculture, and to develop schemes for hydro-electric power and irrigation.
Minerals
20. To give such assistance to the territorial governments as may from time to time be necessary to encourage the prospecting for and development of mineral deposits, and their ultimate disposal, with special reference to the production of minerals for export and of coal and other fuels including oil from coal, and to encourage measures for improved utilisation of coal and recovery of economic by-products of coal.
Agriculture
21. To achieve self-sufficiency in regard to the food requirements of the Federation, and to this end to pay unremitting attention to the use of all available land, to soil and water conservation, to research and to the scientific development of the natural resources of the area.
22. To endeavour to maintain a price structure which will be fair both to the producer and the consumer.
23. To develop an adequate supply of raw materials for the use of secondary industry.
what?
24. To encourage the fullest development of the export market for all suitable agricultural products.
Are there any left over?
25. To give such assistance to the territorial governments as may from time to time be necessary to encourage the development of African Agriculture.
Education
26. To improve and develop, within the sphere of education assigned to the Federal Government, the existing systems of primary and secondary education at a standard at least equivalent to that provided in Southern Rhodesia at present, with such assistance as may be necessary for parents whose children cannot attend day schools and who are unable to meet the full cost of boarding fees and travelling expenses.
27. To make such provision as may be necessary for the education and care of physically, mentally or socially deviate children.
28. To provide through bursaries, scholarships and other approved means for the continued education of selected students who are lawful inhabitants of the Federation at Universities and other centres of higher education within the Federation or beyond its borders.
29. To make grants-in-aid to approved centres of higher education and cultural institutions within the Federation and to those providing for students from the Federation, and also to make such grants for the purposes of research.
30. To establish technical, mining and specialist training schools other than universities, designed to assist the development of industry, commerce and agriculture, or to provide training for public services and the teaching profession; to establish as and when necessary trade schools.
Health
31. To develop the major health services in as far as they may fall within the Federal sphere, and to improve general and special hospital facilities throughout the area.
32. In order to make available the best medical, dental, ophthalmic and hospital services : —
(a) to encourage the growth or establishment of voluntary contributory health schemes, especially those providing cover for serious illness;
(b) to give state assistance where necessary in order to enable voluntary societies to accept what are termed "bad risks" at reasonable rates; with suitable safeguards against abuse.
Housing
33. To collaborate to the fullest possible extent with the territorial Governments in the provision of funds for housing, including houses to rent, which although primarily a territorial responsibility, is one of the most important factors affecting the growth and expansion of the Federal State.
Disability and Old Age Pensions
34. To establish as examination shows its practicability a contributory scheme to cover disability and old age pensions.
Defence
35. To provide within available resources for the effective defence of the Federation and for rendering assistance to the Commonwealth in case of need.
Finance
36. To encourage the flow of capital from all available sources and to promote practical projects of development which will produce in the Federation economic, social and political well-being.
37. To make financial provision which will ensure that the services essential for the development of the Federation and the welfare of the population can be provided.
38. To advocate the establishment at the earliest opportunity of a Federal Reserve Bank which will regulate the national currency, foreign exchange and the credit structure of the Federation.
39. To combat inflation during a period of rapid expansion by correct monetary policy and the institution of such measures as may be necessary to check increases in the cost of living.
40. To co-operate with other countries in the sterling area in maintaining the purchasing value of the £.
Where is the money coming from?
NATIVE AFFAIRS
41. To interpret (without prejudice to the fact that Native Affairs are primarily a territorial responsibility) the reference to partnership and cooperation in the preamble to the Federal Scheme as including:—
(1) the desirability of conforming to a system that will enable European and African to live in harmony;
(2) the realisation that the European and the African have distinctive and complementary parts to play in the Federation, and that each should be rewarded according to his contribution to the partnership;
(3) the recognition of the natural desire on the part of each race to develop on traditional lines, and the need for bearing this in mind in the provision of facilities and amenities while the present wide differences exist in the cultural levels of the mass of the people;
(4) the gradual extension of political rights and privileges to those who conform to civilised standards of behaviour and culture, with a corresponding diminution in special political representation;
(5) the acceptance of the principle that persons acquiring political rights can no longer enjoy special privileges. what privileges?
Published by the Federal Party, 45 N .E.M. House, Salisbury, and Printed by the Rhodesian Printing and Publishing Company, Limited, Salisbury.
