Talk:Governor-General of the Union of South Africa
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The reference to "local (white)" persons is superfluous - where else in the British Empire was there a local (non-white) governor-general?
Maybe not in the Empire, but in the Commonwealth - India, Pakistan, Ceylon, Nigeria, Gambia, Sierra Leone, all had local (non-white) citizens holding the post of Governor-General.
The implication is that SA was the only contry in the commonwealth that applied a colour bar which was not the case - how many Aboriginals became GG of Australia, Maoris [sic] of New Zealand, or "red Indians" of Canada?
Not comparing like with like. In these 'dominions' the indigenous population was in the minority. The 1960 referendum in SA was whites only. Australia has never had a woman, let alone an Aborigine as GG, unlike Canada or NZ, but this is down to conservatism.
For that matter how many Indians were Viceroy of India either?
See comment above.
Right up to 1965 Rhodesia (then a British colony) had a white GG - Sir Garfield Todd.
Incorrect. Garfield Todd (he was only knighted in the 1990s on the recommendation of the NZ government) was never 'Governor-General' of Rhodesia because there was no such post. Sir Humphrey Gibbs was Governor (although the Smith regime stripped him of his authority and appointed an 'Officer Administering the Government' after UDI) and remained so until the declaration of a republic in 1970.
With reference to the Governors General of South Africa, it is my opinion that members of the Royal Family like Lord Athlone made better Governors General than the racist fascists who occupied that office until the Republic of South Africa was declared in 1961. Princess Alice was deeply loved by all races and language groups and she even spoke Dutch which impressed the Afrikaans community. The total impartiality of the Royal Family, enabled him to be a concilliator not least during the Flag Contraversy 1925-1928. In the South African context one wonders if more members of the Royal Family had been sent out there, whether things would have been different. The systems of Queen's Representative clearly works because here we are in the 21st century and thoroughly modern countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, not to mention Jamaica, Barbados etc still have a Governor General and it works. However, I think the days of sending royalty out to these countries are long gone, more's the pity. I hope and pray that in the years to come, the term Your Excellency, may still be heard in Government Houses around the world.
With reference to the comments above regarding White only Governors General, it is true to say that there were non white Governors General in India, Pakistan, Sierra Leone The Gambia etc but this only occured afer independence and in most cases a republican form of government was introduced soon afterwards.
In the case of India for example, the first Governor General of independent India was Lord Mountbatten who had been the last Viceroy and the first Governor General of Jamaica was Sir Kenneth Blackburn who had been the last Governor of colonial Jamaica.
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BetacommandBot (talk) 22:38, 13 February 2008 (UTC)
