148 rnuRE Oi<' native eaces of s. rhodesia. 



up with the outside world more closelj^ by creating radial centres of 

 development within the Reserves, rather than that European ideas 

 should filter in slowly from outside by almost inperceptible 

 channels. Therefore I say, " vitalise " the Eeserves. 



Next to law and order, " vitalisation " should be the main 

 consideration in any proposal made in connection with Eeserves. 

 Any scheme for development should offer ideas to the native mind 

 on which it can work, mental food as much as material prosperity. 

 The desideratum is the evolution of the absolute moral virtues of 

 vigour, stamina, energy, and, at the same time, the strengthening 

 of the intellectual attributes of originality and readiness to accept 

 education. 



The bulk of the work of civilisation in the Eeserves has been 

 done by missionary societies, and will still be done by them in 

 the future. The very reason of their being in the Eeserves neces- 

 sarily compels them to direct their efforts to the relative moral 

 virtues, Christianity, cleanliness, sexual morality, etc., rather 

 than to absolute moral virtues, which are, moreover, much more 

 shadowy and indefinite. It is no more a criticism of the work 

 done by missionaries to- say this than it would be a criticism of 

 a wicket-keeper to say that he thought more about- stumping a 

 man than clean bowling him. The conditions of a missionary's 

 calling categorically demand that he should rank as highest certain 

 moral attributes which I have classed as relative virtues. 

 (In using the words absolute and relative I have no idea of inferring 

 any proposition as to inferior or superior.) The inculcation of 

 these relative moral virtues may safely be left in the hands of the 

 missionaries, who likewise deserve every credit for the work they 

 have done in intellectual education. It is to the development 

 of the absolute moral attributes, and the rounding off of the 

 educational efforts that I wish to direct attention : and therefore 

 I say, vitalise the Eeserves. 



The question of how this is to be done deserves a longer paper 

 than time allows. I can only mention here shortly some of the 

 steps that might be taken. 



On the subject of industrial development of the Eeserves, I 

 must refer you to a report recently written by Mr. Keigwin, and 

 pviblished by the Southern Ehodesia Administration. " If the policy 

 bears fniit, we shall see a new type of kraal gradually evolved, 

 what I may call a kraal town, more permanent than the present 

 kraals. These towns will be industrial and trading centres, places 

 for schools of craft and mission schools. In them, as a natural 

 development of the kraal headman and the elders, there will be 

 headmen {i.e., INIayors) and Councils. Ever\' effort should be made 

 to vivify this civic life. It will be both a training and an outlet 

 for energy, and the political instinct. The Parish Councils of 

 England, which have been really a dismal failure, when contrasted 

 with the glowing hopes that were entertained of them, were based 

 upon a misconception. It was believed that the Parliament idea 

 could be passed on from the nation to the parish. This was not 

 so. Having tasted Parliaments nationally, the people of England 

 could not be bothered to play at Parliaments parochially. There 

 was, besides, always something artificial about Parish Councils. 

 The folk memory retained perhaps sufficient unconscious recollec- 



