THE BOER DELEGATES.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11507, 13 February 1903, Page 2

THE BOER DELEGATES.

THEIR MISSION IN NEW ZEALAND.

PROSPECTS OP TRADE WITH SOUTH AFRICA.

(SPECIAL TO "THB PBES9.") WELLINGTON, February 12The three Boer delegates who have oome to study our agricultural methods are at present in Wellington, and eeem very pleasant fellows. They all talk English very welL Mr Joost* and Mr Lane are accompanied by their wives. All three men fought in the last Boer war again** the British. Mr Lane, though a full fledged, burgher, having lived with the Boers for some thirty years, is Irish by birth, and went to the Transvaal when a youth- Mr Rood is the youngest of the party, and has studied for the law- Messrs Lane and Jooste were captured at Paardeburg with General Crouje on Majuba Day, 1900, and were cent to St. Helena, where they were detained as prisoners of war for twentyseven months. Mr Rood was on the staff of General Botha, and went through the whole campaign, being wounded twice, I think," eaid Mr Jooste with a merry laugh, "he must have been like Dβ Wet, a bit too smart to be captured." As to the prospect* of trade between whj colonies and South Africa, Mr Jooste thought Canada should do a very good trade, and lie did not sea why Australia and New Zealand should not also share in it. America, tuiat is, the United States, was rushing with characteristic enterprise to get, ite share. In timber there was an opening for a big -trade, for they had not got it in the late Republics, and most of the building timber would have to be imported. There eeemed to be plenty of timber in these colonies, while in Canada it was in great quantities. Aβ regards meat, they had not nearly enough for the Transvaal and Orange River Golonv, because so much of the etock was ruined in the war. They could not, therefore, kill the stock they had, and would require frozen meat for some time as* well a* jive stock. There must be a good trade in livo stock, but Australia, so far as he knew, had none to supply. Canada could supply 11 good deal, but not enough. They had to get the kind of cattle that would suit the country, and as Australia was most like tho lata Republics in many things, its cattle and sheep would probably ba most suitab.e. In regard to self-government, Mr Jooste said:—"We would all like to be a self-governing colbnv like Canada, Australia, or New Zealand, and I think we will be, but it all depends upon our people." Ho added that though there were some who were optimistic, it was his opinion that it would take a long time before South Africa settled ,-down after the turmoil of the war—co many homesteads had been destroyed, so many people ruined. If the Imperial Government could only fititisfy them, the settling down would come sooner. But they would settle down in time, and the country would become a good British , colony. There was plenty of black labour in the Transvaal without importing any. On account of trre war many natives had not reflumed work, but there were plenty of men who maue very good workers. Labour woe very cheap in South Africa—much cheaper than in the other British colonies. It seemed to Mr Jooste that a great drawback to Australia, and, so far ac he could learn, <t© New Zealand aJso, was the labour question. .Labour was too expensive. It seemed to our visitora ac if the labour men ruled the country in Australia and New Zealand, and he very much questioned if that, was not a drawback to a country. In regard to South Africa, he said the tour of Mr Chamberlain Would do a crreat deal of good. He was showing bimsett to be a straight, firm man, and his course of action in South Africa and his attitude would go a Idtotg way towards removing prejudices. Mr Jooste believed that when things had calmed down the Boers would be found to be good British subjects, and tbp late Republics good British colonies, as he thought they ought to be. "The country," he said, "is rich in minerals, is well watered, its soil is very good, and when it gets over the worst effects of the long war it will be one of the best countries in the world.*'

The delegates mil spend about a month, in t hie colony, and go from here to Australia tjo visit Victoria, and probably Tasmania. The Govermnente of the countries they havo visited have given them every facility for making enquiries, and everywhere they liavo been most hospitably treated by their fellow subjects in tixb vast empire of which they form a part.