FUTURE OF SOUTH AFRICA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 15 May 1907, Page 3

FUTURE OF SOUTH AFRICA.

AN' EX-XEW ZISALAXDER'S JMWIEHSIOX.S. An K-Xmv Zealandor, who has been engaged ill business «t Johannesburg for the pusi, seven years, and is now on a holiday tour through the colony, told a representative of (lie Christchureli Press last week Uwt in the Transvaal responsible, government is going to be a success.

"l'lic intelligent Dutch are now thoroughly to lie relied upon. Whatever they may have thought before, they now have si'itled down to work out the destinies of tne country on loyal British lines Hie Dutch representatives that have been elected are all men of practical common-sense, and are not foolish enougu to injure their place by vainly m.lauiing racial feeling. The labor (piosliun, of course, is bulking largely in l-üblic mutters. Those who have studied the question believe there is plenty of native labor now available. Whether this is so or not will be proved by the report of the Koyal Commission set up or the purpose, but in any case the Chinese will have to go. No British colony can work out its salvation if it has to depend upon low-grade alien labor. I hose niimng propositions that cannot >o developed by means of the native labor available, should wait for the applica ion of more scientilie and economical methods than we are able to employ now.

" Ihe depression in the country is terrible, and just before J left 1000 Australians were repatriated. The only industry (gold mining) that is bringing m revenue is not paying its fair share of taxation, but that will be altered. 1 here is no such thing as a land tax, and the country laws are a farce, so (be flovernment has plenty of work to do. |he railways are made practically the solo source of Stale revenue, and the enormously high freights and fares are keeping everything back. Immigration is strangled, and it is impossiblc'lo develop the back country, owing to the cost ol getting goods in and out. A cargo of limber, valued at .WOOD c.i.f., LHagoa Hay, would stand the importer in at CUOOO or CSIIOO at Johannesburg. The (i.jverninent is doing all that is possible to foster the farming industry, and although now we have to import nearly i everything, ill ten years we shall want very little, band value in Johannesburg have dropped 50 per cent, during the last lew years, and there are vacant shops ami .offices everywhere. "Wo have a line 'system of electric cars belonging to the municipality, and a comprehensive scheme of water supply and sewerage has just been completed. Wages are fairly good still, clerks receiving from C2O to £4O per month, while a working man's board ami lodgings can be obtained from Ui to tin per month. The m . w (fovcrnnient is about to loin: '■:>.! I, a uk with a capital of live , ..;,,|| V , for lho purpose of nssi- ; ~.,,,'5, ] JV ] cm j. nig them money, much after (he same style as advances are made In settlers in Xew Zealand. Owing (o the unsatisfactory nature of hind titles, there is practically no means of raising money on broil(1 acres by way of mortgage. There is a free system of education "in the Transvaal, with 30,0110 more scholars than (here wore under (he old Moer regime. The language question is one ol the serious problems of (ho future Ivpiitl facilities for the use of Dutch and English in (he law courts and Parliament have been conceded, and (his is bound to prolong (he process of extinguishing racial feeling.

"Our purchases of X,. w JCoi.ljnul produce (Hid manufactures hare dwindled away almost to nothing, and there can never In. a large trade dour until Xcw Zciilaml faci , the question of ;m ~(j-|.i-'■iii, '■iii, I'iii.f. and regular strain service. The I "nil .-il Stalin. Canada, and Oennnnv are making great commercial strides in Knulli Africa, and particularly (icriuany, which has brought the business of spoon' feedin« lo a very fine point. Xow Zealand goods are going l» continue inkiii" a back seat so long as no effort is made lo remedy (lie existing coudilions, and the trade must always be spasmodic. "The Orange River Colony is destined to lie Dutch-speaking fur an indefinite period of years. Morn tlian 75 per cent, of the population are Boers, and as yet there is little or no indication of Englishmen going out there, especially to settle."

In reference to Mr. Bolha's felie-ne of general South African lu- ,-.

voluntary force, mentioned in the cab!." of Wednesday, the speaker s'n.!. 'of -;=• fresh evidence.of (he siiveriiv of the Boev3 to strengthen the hands of the

Umpire. The scheme will do a great deal towards leading the two peoples together. The fact that Mr. Botha's idea is to embrace the whole of South Africa shows that lie is looking forward to the time when the different States shall federate, and from experience I can say that there is no more fervid patriot iii Cape Colony than the truly loyal Dutch- [ num. On the whole, we are looking to Hie future with every confidence. lii-tei-niari'ige is gradually breaking down the barrier between the two races."