CHAIRMAN AND COMMISSION MEMBERS SIGNING DOCUMENT, DUPONT RESIDENCE, CHAIRMAN SPEAKS AND HANDS OVER REPORT



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WHALEY: "ON BEHALF OF THE COMMISSION, I WOULD LIKE TO EMPHASISE AND REPEAT THE TRIBUTE IN OUR REPORT TO ALL THOSE PEOPLE, BOTH HERE AND IN OTHER COUNTRIES BUT ESPECIALLY TO RHODESIANS, FOR THEIR RESPONSE TO OUR INVITATION TO SUBMIT EVIDENCE, ON A CONSTITUTIONAL PAMPHLET ON RHODESIA. THIS RESPONSE WAS VERY CONVINCING. IT WAS WIDESPREAD; IT WAS IMMEDIATE; AND IT WAS HELPFUL. SO MUCH SO THAT YOUR COMMISSIONERS WERE GREATLY ENCOURAGED IN THE EXECUTION OF THEIR DUTIES.




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Background: THE FIVE-MAN RHODESIAN CONSTITUTIONAL COMMISSION, APPOINTED BY THE REGIME OF IAN SMITH, YESTERDAY (FRIDAY) HANDED OVER ITS REPORT TO MR. CLIFFORD DUPONT, THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING GOVERNMENT. THE HAND-OVER MARKED THE END OF 400 DAYS OF OFFICE FOR THE COMMISSION, WHICH IS REPORTED TO HAVE STUDIED MORE THAN 650 SUBMISSIONS AND INTERVIEWED MORE THAN 250 WITNESSES.

THE COMMISSION, COMPOSED OF THREE EUROPEANS AND TWO AFRICANS, UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF MR. W.R. WHALEY, WAS APPOINTED ON MARCH 1, 1967 AND COMMENCED ITS SITTINGS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SWEARING-IN CEREMONY ON MARCH 8 ACCORDING TO THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION, THE TERMS OF REFERENCE WERE TO "INQUIRE INTO AND ADVISE UPON THE CONSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK WHICH IS BEST SUITED TO THE SOVEREIGN INDEPENDENT STATUS OF RHODESIA."
BEFORE TAKING THE REPORT TO MR. DUPONT'S RESIDENCE, THE CHAIRMAN AND EACH MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION SIGNED THE DOCUMENT.

AT THE HANDING-OVER CEREMONY, MR. WHALEY PAID TRIBUTE TO ALL THOSE WHO HAD ASSISTED THE COMMISSION IN THEIR PREPARATION OF THE REPORT.

FOR THE REST, I SHOULD SAY A GREAT DEAL BUT I WILL LEAVE OUR REPORT TO SPEAK FOR ITSELF. AND, ON THIS NOTE AND ON BEHALF OF THE MEMBERS OF THIS CONSTITUTIONAL COMMISSION, ON BEHALF OF THE SECRETARY AND THE STAFF OF THE COMMISSION, I HAVE HONOUR TO PRESENT TO YOU A BOUND AND SIGNED VOLUME OF THE REPORT OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL.