Minutes of Proceedings with Selected Annexures of the South African National Convention

This is an excellent copy of the now rare report on the National Convention of 1908/9; the steps leading to the formation of the Union of South Africa; the South Africa Act passed in 1909 by the House of Lords and then by the House of Commons; and related matters.

Perhaps lesser remembered aspects of those years of negotiations include the presence at the Convention of non-voting representatives of Southern Rhodesia; and the referendum necessary in Natal before that Colony agreed to join the Union.

The original green cloth-boards have been strengthened with a green Skivertex spine with the original gilt-lettered spine cover laid down, and new plain endpapers added. The contents are xxv + 451 pp of text, appendixes and index.

The volume begins with a valuable explanatory note by the editor, who was the first Clerk of the Union House of Assembly and one of the secretaries to the Commission.

The boards are rubbed but sound. The binding is tight despite a crack at pp 450/1. Apart from a sunned title page, the contents are undiscoloured and the only markings are identical rubber-stamps on the fly-leaf and title-page.