THE BOER OF THE TRANSVAAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5246, 16 January 1878, Page 3

THE BOER OF THE TRANSVAAL.

(From the Natal Witness.) It is usual to regard the Boer as the pioneer of Southg;African civilisation—as the buffer that lias been, through several decades of years, interposed between English rule and ■swarming savagedom. And to a certain extent this is doubtless true. It is true that unless Jan Van Riebeek had landed at the Cape iu 1652 the civilisation of South Africa mifdit never have been commenced. It is true that unless the Boers had, some forty years ago, determined to migrate beyoud the Orange River, the Free State would never have been founded. It is further true that, but for their still unconquered dislike of British rule, we might never have known the name of the Transvaal Republic. It u igbt even be allowed that, but for their descent from the Hr.ickensberg into Natal, our own city might not have sprung into exist-nce. All this we may admit, just as we may admit that, if the Anglo-Saxons had not first been in England, the Norman Conquest would never have taken place. But, while we admit it, and give to the Boer the credit that is due to him, it would be both unjust and useless to lose sight of the fact that, by his, unaided efforts, he never could have reached any high degree of civilisation. Contentment may be in some respects a very great virtue ; but contentment is not the force by which the world has been civilised. Even the Boer’s own migrations have had discontentment rather than contentment at their root — discontentment, too, which, so far from being associated with a wish for new worlds to conquer, rather led him to flee from those who would not admire his unprogressive traditions. Tenacious he undoubtedly is, and was, and tenacity is a quality invaluable in those who have to act on the defensive. But tenacity is very far from being everything, and it is impossible'to deny that, hut for the introduction of English rule and English enterprise into South Africa, nothing worthy the name of civilisation would have been attempted. This assertion may seem a hold and sweeping one, and some justification of it may well be regarded as necessary. It has been urged on behalf of the Boer that lie is essentially a child of the soil—that he is attached to the land, on the produce of which he is content to live, and that his children, inheriting after Mm, will form the backbone of the future population of Soulh Africa. It seems to be forgotten, however, that this quality, while it may provide for the stability of a population, is directly opposed to all improvements, without which a high state of civilisation must ever remain an unfulfilled dream. The man who; lives on the produce of his farm is in no particular need of roads ; his wants are so few that he can give no great encouragement to commerce ; and for the same reason he has no inducement to raise stock or produce beyoud what is ueoessary for Ids own consumption. Bridges he does not require, for he need never, wish to cross a river when it is in flood ; and, being without bridges and available modes of transport, the mineral wealth under his feet lies uuoonsidered and untouched. Such an influence as this could never lie an active influence in forwarding civilisation.