Correspondence I, 1941-1947

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Contains:

(fols. 1-68) letters from R.H.B. Dickson, Labour candidate and farmer in Umtali (Mutare), with several enclosures, and two replies from Rita Hinden, 10 Mar 1941-2 Aug 1946:

(fols. 1-12) two letters to Creech Jones, containing criticisms of Godfrey Huggins, the Southern Rhodesia Constitution, Land Apportionment Act, and the proposals for federation, with two cuttings and a reprint from the Rhodesia Herald, 10 and 15 Mar 1941
(fols. 13-19) two letters to the Editor, Venture, about the Land Apportionment Act and federation, 3 Oct; 6 Dec 1941
(fols. 20-27) letter to the Governor, Sir Herbert Stanley, and notes by Dickson, about the Land Apportionment Act, 21 Nov and 6 Dec 1941
(fol. 28) cutting about housing of indigenous people in urban areas, 28 Nov 1941
(fol. 29) letter from Rita Hinden referring to one from C.R. Attlee, Dominions Office, about the ejection of indigenous people from farms in European areas (see also fols. 132-134), 10 Nov 1942
(fols. 30-43) letters from Dickson to Rita Hinden about the medical and health services, alleged 'graft' among officials, and Native Reserves and the Natural Resources Board (see also MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 365/100, folder 1, item 4), 8 Feb-1 Aug 1943
(fols. 44-66) correspondence about Huggins, taxation, and farming problems, 8 Mar 1944-8 Dec 1945. Enclosures include a copy of a letter from Dickson to Sir Alfred Beit about the future of the Rhodesias (Zambia and Zimbabwe) (fols. 55-57)
(fols. 67-68) letter from Dickson to Rita Hinden about his move from Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) to Natal, 2 Aug 1946.

(fols. 69-75) two letters from Rev. R. Moore, at Claremont, Cape, to Rita Hinden, and a reply from her, about the government's indigenous policy, rural development, and urban stabilisation, and industrial representation machinery. (A typescript copy of the passages marked in the first letter can be found in MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 365/100, folder l, fols. 6-7), 17 Jul-18 Dec 1942.

(fols. 76-128) correspondence between the FCB and Charles Mzingeli, Chairman, African Headquarters Branch, S.R. Labour Party, Salisbury (Harare), 11 Sep 1942-4 Apr 1947. (See also MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 365/99, folder 2, fols. 66-115.) Letters from him to the Rev. A.S. Cripps, Maronda Mashanu Mission, are included; there are many references in the correspondence to Cripps and to Norman Leys. Mzingeli's letters, mostly address to Rita Hinden, concern the policy and aims of his organisation, and give accounts of conferences and meetings. They are concerned also with the segregation policy of the Government of Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), African franchise, and fears that the Branch might be de-registered or disaffiliated from the European sections of the Southern Rhodesia Labour Party; they are also concerned with the Land Apportionment Act, and the formation of an African Trades Union. Additional papers include the following:

(fols. 81-82) letter of advice from Creech Jones, n.d.
(fols. 97-103) 'The Branch's Memorandum of its opinion on the Prime Minister's proposed Native Policy: Urban Areas'
(fols. 107-111) copy of letter from Mzingeli to the Minister of Native Affairs requesting an interview concerning the Land Apportionment Amendment Act 1945, and a memorandum about the interview on 9 Oct 1945
(fols. 115-117) memorandum on a public meeting held on 10 Feb 1946 with the object of forming an African Trades Union
(fols. 121-122) Chairman's Report at the Sixth Annual Meeting of the Southern Rhodesia Labour Party - African HQ Branch, 15 Feb 1946.

(fols. 129-143) comprise:

(fols. 129-131) two letters from R.U. Price (?), Yomba: (1) to the Editor, Fabian Quarterly, commenting on an article by Rita Hinden, and (2) to Rita Hinden about social progress in Africa, 20 Dec 1942; 16 May 1943
(fols. 132-134) two letters from Rita Hinden to C.R. Attlee, Dominions Office, and a reply signed by W.A.W. Clark, about a Bill for the formation of a National Farmers' Union in Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), 7 May-2 Jun 1943
(fols. 135-143) letter from Dr F.O. Stohr, a farmer in Northern Rhodesia (Zambia), to Rita Hinden about land development and Native Reserves in that colony, with two sketch maps, and her reply which also refers to advances in British colonial policy, 14 Jun-6 Oct 1943.

(fols. 144-166) correspondence between Rita Hinden and Rev. Percy Ibbotson, Bulawayo (Organising Secretary, Federation of Native Welfare Societies in Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)) about his work in support of African interests, 26 Apr 1945-21 May 1947. The subjects referred to include the following:

(fols. 146-147) proposed Industrial Conciliation Bill
(fols. 146-147, 149) Native juvenile delinquency
(fols. 151-157) strike of African personnel employed on Rhodesia Railways, their living conditions and wages, and the recommendation of the Commission of Enquiry
(fol. 155) African trade unions
(fols. 157; 166) discriminatory legislation in Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)
(fols. 159-163) Native Labour Supply Commission Bill
(fols. 160-163) African Labour Advisory Board
(fols. 160-161) Southern Rhodesia Public Health Commission Report.

(fols. 167-170) comprise:

(fol. 167) copy of cable from Bishop Paget, Salisbury (Harare), to Gibson, Inmisco, London, about delaying the departure of internees to Germany, n.d.
(fols. 168-170) correspondence between Rita Hinden and J.B. West, Bulawayo, about the colour bar in South Africa and Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), and the proposed amalgamation of the Rhodesias (Zambia and Zimbabwe), 1 Jul-2 Sep 1946.

(fols. 171-202) correspondence between Rita Hinden and Mrs Gladys Maasdorp, The Labour Front, Salisbury (Harare), about Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) affairs, including the following, 4 Sep 1946-24 Sep 1947:

(fols. 172, 176, 179) Native Labour Supply Commission Bill
(fols. 176-177, 179, 184-185, 195, 200-201) Parliamentary franchise
(fols. 176-177, 179, 182, 188, 190-191) Trade Unions
(fol. 179) Native Urban Areas Act
(fol. 182v) African housing
(fol. 183, 188, 193) indigenous policy of the Liberal Party
(fol. 188) Trade Disputes Bill
(fol. 188) Industrial Conciliation (Natives) Bill
(fol. 188-194, 198) parliamentary representations of Africans
(fols. 188-189, 194-195) forced labour
(fols. 190-191) conditions of African employees of Rhodesia Railways
(fols. 192, 194) indigenous labour boards
(fol. 191) migratory indigenous labour
(fols. 200-201) National Affairs Association
(fols. 199, 201-202) Dadaya case.

Throughout fols. 171-202, there are many references to Sir Godfrey Huggins and his visit to the FCB in Feb 1947 (see also MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 365/100, folder 2, fols. 57-61). Other persons mentioned include the following:

(fol. 182) J.H. Smit, Leader of the Liberal Party
(fol. 182v, 194) Percy Ibbotson
(fol. 183) Rheinallt Jones
(fols. 186-187) Sir Stewart Gore-Browne
(fol. 187v) F.T. Russell
(fols. 188, 199) Garfield Todd
(fol. 192) W.A. Godlonton
(fol. 196) Lord Addison
(fols. 196-198) A.G. Bottomley, MP
(fols. 200-201) H.B. Noaks.

(fols. 203-224) comprise:

(fols. 203-209) correspondence between Brigadier J.A.E. Ralston, Bromley, Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), John Parker, and Marjorie Nicholson, about the possibility of starting a branch of the Fabian Society in Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), the political situation there, government appointments, and opposition to federation, 5 Dec 1946-23 Mar 1947
(fols. 210-211) letter from Acting Secretary, Euro-African Patriotic Society, Salisbury (Harare), about issues facing Euro-African people in Central Africa, and a reply from the Bureau, 13 Feb, 19 Mar 1947
(fols. 212-214) correspondence with A.A. Draper, President, Southern Rhodesia Labour Party, about Ralston's proposal that the FCB should contact settlers leaving England for Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and give them information about the political situation there, as well as producing a pamphlet on the subject. Enclosures include a letter from Draper to Parker (fols. 213-215), a copy of the Southern Rhodesia Labour Party Constitution, and cuttings from the Southern Rhodesia Sunday Mail, 6 Mar-29 May 1947.