A DUNEDINITE AT THE DIAMOND FIELDS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2536, 7 May 1881, Page 2

A DUNEDINITE AT THE DIAMOND FIELDS.

The following letter, dated Kimberley Diamond Fields, appeared in Thursday’s “ Star.” It is from a baker who used to oarry on business in Dunedin, but who left a few months ago to try his fortune in South Africa : Dear , —I arrived at Cape Town on Christmas Day, after a passage of 39 days from Melbourne, and the same evening I got an engagement as cook and baker at a place called Montagu road, 200 miles from Cape Town. After being in work a few days I and the boss, a Scotchman, got arguing the point. We first got on to the virtues of Scotchmen and then on to Freethought; at last he got so disgusted with me that he gave me notice to leave. I remained with him altogether three weeks and then proceeded on my journey to the diamond fields. I came by coach and we did the distance, about 400 miles, in five days. I will give you a little news about the diamond fields. This is the most wonderful place I have seen in all my travels—no one can credit the amount of work that has been done by the blacks. Everything looks prosperous —plenty of money, plenty of diamonds getting (more than ever, in fact, yet strange to say they fetch a better price). Everything is very dear ; but no white man works under £1 a-day, and many are getting £1 10s. The best days Victoria or New Zealand ever saw are nothing to this place. I cannot make out how it has been so little taken notice of by the Australian and New Zealand people—not that I would advise anyone to come here, for the climate is very unhealthy. Men die here like rotten sheep —God knows how long I may be in it myself. The customs and habits here are not like those in any other place; the people are so mixed. The language spoken in South Africa is principally Dutch. There is some fear entertained that the Boers will make a raid on this place, I was asked to be a Volunteer, but I said “ No, not me.” Nearly all my shipmates got from £IOO to £l5O to go to the front as substitutes, but they could not have me. As to trades—butchers are doing very web ; , they buy beef at 28s per cwt, and sell it

at from 6d to 8d ; heads, fat, and other parts of the beast are bought by the Caffres; no stock reqtr'red'for restaurants. Bread is Is per lb; brown bread or “C.affre!; bread 9d per lb—so by the time I write to you again I hope to be in a good business.' I have a very good job having charge of a place. My wages are £7 10s a : week, and my second hand gets £6los. In Cape Town carpenters, stonemasons, bricklayers, and plasterers get very good wages and constant work. A goodcoachbuilder would do well, for they build in a very old fashion. The lowest paid workmen are shoemakers, tailors, and saddlers. —I am, etc,