Southern Rhodesia Legislative Council election, 1899
Encyclopedia
The Southern Rhodesia Legislative Council election of April 17, 1899 were the first elections to take place in the Colony of Southern Rhodesia
. They followed the Southern Rhodesia Order in Council of 1898 which granted to the Colony a Legislative Council
consisting of at least ten voting members: the Administrator of Southern Rhodesia
ex officio, five members nominated by the British South Africa Company
, and four members elected by registered voters. The Resident Commissioner of Southern Rhodesia, Sir Marshal James Clarke, also sat on the Legislative Council ex officio but without the right to vote.
and Matabeleland
, each returning two members. The election was conducted under rules first set down for Cape Colony
in 1892 with a secret ballot. No political parties were in existence at the time of the election so each candidate stood on their own record.
and 'treating
' (providing free food and drink for voters) at a smoking concert, and invalidated his earlier election, but as Grey was no longer a member, this had no effect.
In the meantime, nominations for the byelection closed on August 21, 1899 and Grey was again nominated. With no other candidate in the field he was therefore returned unopposed.
Sir Thomas Scanlen stood down and was replaced by John Gilbert Kotze, Attorney General, on August 9, 1900. Mr Justice Vintcent stood down and was replaced by Clarkson Henry Tredgold on June 28, 1901. Townshend Griffin was absent for a time and was replaced by James Hutchinson Kennedy on June 28, 1901.
Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...
. They followed the Southern Rhodesia Order in Council of 1898 which granted to the Colony a Legislative Council
Southern Rhodesian Legislative Council
The Southern Rhodesian Legislative Council was the inaugural governing body for the British territory of Southern Rhodesia before its replacement by the Southern Rhodesian Legislative Assembly in 1923....
consisting of at least ten voting members: the Administrator of Southern Rhodesia
Administrator of Southern Rhodesia
The Administrator of Southern Rhodesia was a post within the British Empire which existed from 1890 to 1923 at the time when Southern Rhodesia was governed by the British South Africa Company...
ex officio, five members nominated by the British South Africa Company
British South Africa Company
The British South Africa Company was established by Cecil Rhodes through the amalgamation of the Central Search Association and the Exploring Company Ltd., receiving a royal charter in 1889...
, and four members elected by registered voters. The Resident Commissioner of Southern Rhodesia, Sir Marshal James Clarke, also sat on the Legislative Council ex officio but without the right to vote.
Franchise
The Order in Council did not set any of the regulations governing the election, which were left to the (acting) High Commissioner for Southern Africa to set the qualifications for voters and delimit the electoral districts, which happened in Proclamation no. 17 of 1898. The acting High Commissioner required voters to be British subjects, male, 21 years of age and older, able to write their address and occupation, and then to fulfil the following financial requirements: (a) ownership of a registered mining claim in Southern Rhodesia, or (b) occupying immovable property worth £75, or (c) receiving wages or salary of £50 per annum in Southern Rhodesia. Six months' continuous residence was also required for qualifications b and c. All voters were entered onto a common roll.Election arrangements
With only four members to be elected, the Acting High Commissioner decided to have two districts, MashonalandMashonaland
Mashonaland is a region in northern Zimbabwe. It is the home of the Shona people.Currently, Mashonaland is divided into three provinces, with a total population of about 3 million:* Mashonaland West* Mashonaland Central* Mashonaland East...
and Matabeleland
Matabeleland
Modern day Matabeleland is a region in Zimbabwe divided into three provinces: Matabeleland North, Bulawayo and Matabeleland South. These provinces are in the west and south-west of Zimbabwe, between the Limpopo and Zambezi rivers. The region is named after its inhabitants, the Ndebele people...
, each returning two members. The election was conducted under rules first set down for Cape Colony
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
in 1892 with a secret ballot. No political parties were in existence at the time of the election so each candidate stood on their own record.
Results
| Constituency Electorate and turnout |
Candidate | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| MASHONALAND 1,420 (c. 85%) |
Raleigh Grey Raleigh Grey Sir Raleigh Grey KBE CMG CVO was a pioneer British coloniser of Southern Rhodesia who played an important part in the early government of the colony.-Early career:... |
583 |
| William Paterson Grimmer | 522 | |
| William Ernest Fairbridge | 499 | |
| Martinus Jacobus Martin | 312 | |
| MATABELELAND 3,187 (72.5%) |
Hans Sauer | 1,187 |
| Elliott St. Maurice Hutchinson | 1,007 | |
| Charles Theodore Holland | 797 | |
| Samuel John Lewis | 668 |
Byelection
William Fairbridge, defeated in Mashonaland, lodged an election petition after the declaration of the result, alleging that Raleigh Grey's election agents were involved in misconduct during the election. Before the hearing commenced, Grey resigned from the Council feeling that his presence was corrupted. The election court found that Grey's agents had indulged in briberyBribery
Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
and 'treating
Treating
Treating, in law, is the act of serving food, drink, and other refreshments as a method of influencing people for political gain. In various countries, treating is considered a form of corruption, and is illegal as such....
' (providing free food and drink for voters) at a smoking concert, and invalidated his earlier election, but as Grey was no longer a member, this had no effect.
In the meantime, nominations for the byelection closed on August 21, 1899 and Grey was again nominated. With no other candidate in the field he was therefore returned unopposed.
Nominated members
The members nominated by the British South Africa Company were:- Mr Justice Joseph Vintcent, Senior Judge of the High Court (provisionally)
- Sir Thomas Charles Scanlen KCMGOrder of St Michael and St GeorgeThe Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, Legal Adviser - Joseph Millerd Orpen, Surveyor-General
- Townshend Griffin, Commissioner of Mines and Public Works
- Herbert Hayton CastensHerbert Hayton CastensHerbert Hayton Castens was a South African rugby union footballer, and cricketer. He was South Africa's first ever rugby and cricket captain. Castens played an important role in the development of rugby and cricket in South Africa, both on and off the pitch. He was usually known as H.H...
, Chief Secretary
Sir Thomas Scanlen stood down and was replaced by John Gilbert Kotze, Attorney General, on August 9, 1900. Mr Justice Vintcent stood down and was replaced by Clarkson Henry Tredgold on June 28, 1901. Townshend Griffin was absent for a time and was replaced by James Hutchinson Kennedy on June 28, 1901.