Untangling the Pass Laws of a Colony in 1883
This edition presents the 1883 Report of the Select Committee appointed to study the colony’s Pass Laws. It records how the committee gathered evidence, debated protections for natives, and weighed the need for a formal pass system and certificates of citizenship. The text blends proceedings, witness testimony, and the committee’s draft conclusions about governance, mobility, and law enforcement in a colonial setting.
The materials illuminate a historical debate over protection, control, and administration. Readers will encounter the committee’s findings, the arguments for and against repealing earlier laws, and the practical recommendations considered for a new pass framework.
- Accounts of committee proceedings and key witnesses from 1883
- Arguments about citizenship certificates, passes, and mobility rights
- Discussion of related laws, like vagrancy and land/stock regulations
- A draft report outlining why an efficient Pass Law might be desirable and how it could be implemented
Ideal for readers of historical governance, colonial policy, and legal history.