MOZAMBIQUE - Page 4.
His authorization must be obtained for the raising of any loans
which cannot be repaid during the current fiscal year.
According to the Constitution, all matters v/hich concern only
an "Overseas Province" and which are outside the powers of the
National Assembly, the Government or the Minister for Overseas
Territories, are decided by the legislative bodies of the "Overseas
Provinces".  In Mozambique, the Overseas Organic Law states that
the organs of government are the Governor-General, the Legislative
Council (eight members nominated, two of which represent the indigenous population, and sixteen elected members) and the Government Council, a standing consultative body to the Governor-General
made up of territorial government officers.
Under a new bill, the Government Council of Mozambique is to
be replaced by an Economic and Social Council whose members are
supposed to be persons with special knowledge of administrative,
moral, cultural and social activities.  The Council reviews all
laws presented to the Legislative Council and is heard on all laws
published by the Governor-General.  The Economic and Social Council
also will act as a consulting body to the Governor-General in
carrying out his executive powers.
The Governor-General has a four-year appointment by the Council
of Ministers on the suggestion of the Minister for Overseas Territories.  He is the highest authority in the territory, representing the Portuguese Government and possessing legislative and executive powers.
The effective operation of the territorial governing bodies
is considerably more limited than the Constitution would allow.
Under the regime of Dr. Antonio Salazar which began in 1933?
effective opposition to the government party is prohibited.  This
dictatorship extends to the colonial territories and leaves local
government without power.
The whole territory of Mozambique is divided into nine districts, each under a district governor.  Each district is divided
into units according to whether the area contains persons eligible
to vote or whether it contains a majority of persons v/ho do not
have this right.  Where the majority are eligible voters, the
district is divided into municipalities which may be divided
further into parishes.  The remaining districts, where most of the
indigenous population live, are divided into circunscripoes which
are further divided into postos.  In these areas, the traditional
African political systems are kept alive.
The duties of an administrator of a municipality are similar
to an administrator in Portugal.  The administrators of the
circunscrigoes are, hov/ever, the most important figures of Portuguese administration after the Governor-General.  The circunscripoes
are considered by Portugal as areas that are not as economically
and socially developed as the municipalities.  These administrators
are appointed by the Governor-General and represent Portuguese
sovereignty in the Province.  They are responsible for carrying
out administrative, economic and civil duties as well as being the
civil and judicial authorities in their own districts.  They must
see that the native policy is carried out and that public order is
maintained.  The native African political system, or regedorias,
that the administrators of the circunscrigoes oversee consist of
various African officers v/hose responsibilities are established by
customs but v/hich are limited by Portuguese law.  Their main duties
are to carry out the orders of the Portuguese authorities and can
be dismissed from their positions if they do not follow their instructions properly.  Although the Native Statute of 1954 (v/hich
outlined the rules of administration of the regedorias) has been
repealed, it has not brought an end to the separate laws which