Parliament in May, 1920, he said, _inter alia_, that he hoped that under
a policy of territorial separation, which was now the law of the land,
it would be possible to carry out the idea of parallel institutions for
the Natives by means of which they could deal with their own concerns.
In the course of his speech General Smuts also said "the Pass laws do
the Whites no good and are intolerable to the Natives." The Native
Affairs Act of 1920 provides for the establishment of a permanent Native
Affairs Commission, and for the Creation of local Native Councils or
conferences of Native Chiefs and other representatives for the
discussion of all questions affecting the interests of the Natives. In
explaining the nature and scope of this Act the Prime Minister said that
more study and investigation, and more consultation with the Natives
were required before it could be said that the areas suggested by the
Beaumont Commission were fair and proper.
[28] Acts 17--26.
[29] Native Lands Commission. Minute by Sir W.H. Beaumont.