RAND MINE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 March 1939, Page 9

RAND MINE

MAJOR FACTOR IN UNION. FEW OPPORTUNITIES OFFERING. \ The hope which many a young New Zealander has entertained in recent years of going to South Africa to find his fame and fortune Would not receive much encouragement from Mr A. Copeland, of Johannesburg, a New Zealander, Who has lived for many years in that country and is at present enjoying a visit to his native land after an absence of 27 years. t “No,” said Mr Copeland when asked in Dunedin about the prospects of such migratory job-seekers, “I would not say that the Union of South Africa has anything to offer sUch people. For a while, particularly in Johannesburg, there was a boom, but conditions are now evening themselves up. The building trade was very active, but the immediate demand has now been met. In any case there are thousands of young Afrikaanders on the spot.” While he regarded politics as being the curse of the Union, Mr Copeland said that the present Minister of Defence, Mr O. Pirow, had initiated a scheme combining some form of military training with vocational training, and this Was proving of the greatest value in fitting the youth of the country for the tasks which faced them. One particularly bad aspect of the prosperity that the fabulous wealth of the Rand mines had meant to the country, he said, was the demoralisation of the farmer who had, during the past •20 years, received grants totalling a huge sum from the Government and who was now developing the mentality that when he wanted anything he “just sat down and howled for it.” At present, continued Mr Copeland, the Rand output of gold was about 1,000,000 ounces per month. This district extended for about 70 miles and all the mines were paying. Recently he had’heard it stated that the “main” reef was shortly to be opened up about 100 miles distant from Johannesburg. So far as mining opportunities went, he thought that a young man going to Africa would fare better in Rhodesia,. where there were literally hundreds of small mines. The mines in South Africa were regarded as the main source of revenue. The direct taxation was high, bu it was increased to a phenomenal sum by indirect taxation. Fortunately, mining in the Rand was organised to a state of efficiency which was probably unequalled anywhere else in the world, and it could stand the strain. Speaking of the changes he found in New Zealand after his long absence, Mr Copeland said he was delighted with Dunedin, with its appearance of solidity, and with the hospitality of the people. Two impressions which recurred constantly were the comparative smallness of the houses in New Zealand, and the fact that the women had too much work to do. The explanation of these two contrasts, he admitted, probably lay in the abundant supply of cheap native domestic labour which was available in South Africa.