New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-16
LIFE IN NATAL.
A SOCIETY WITHOUT POVERTY.

THE HEALTHY PROSPERITY OF THE FIVE THOU
SAND CoLONIsTs- DURHAM AS MODEL MU-
wcIrM1TY-A DELIGHTFUL CLIMATE
From The London Telegraph.
Among South Africans you hear all sorts OF
views about Natal Cecil Rhodes described It's
people as "a forwarding agency in the midst OF
location Of Kaffirs," abiding TO the fact that
there are only 5000 white men in the presence
OF ten times many blacks. l doubt whether
In the whole British Empire there is happier
community, not excepting our light-hearted
friends Of the Channel Islands than these Ma
ITALIANS. Three months ago l breakfasted with
Harry Escombe, then the Premier OF Natal. De
scrbing its society he said. I'VE have NOBODY
very rich and have no poverty. The words
escaped him as a commonplace; they struck me
a revelation. mo poverty! what woulu
one not give to have only 5000 people, though
thnly scattered in towns and villages, like these
In this smiling land. and no poor among them
Yes give us poor. and we Will jog along Win
out solitary millionaire From mat moment
] have inquired of every man likely 10 Know
about this social fact. The present Prime MIN
is,er Mr.. Bnns; the Minister for Native Affairs
Mr. Hulett, himself a large employer In connec,
ton with his tea and sugar plantation; the genldi
Attorney General, MI Bale. all gave substan-
tislly the answer TO the query, is 1t really
true that you have no poorT well, SAID the
Mayor Of Durham. 1--WE have. OF course some
drunken folk neer-do- weels, and a few that
won't or can't work; but for all practical pur-
poses It Is abou, true. Nobody need be Dady
off"
And now ] have come to understand the re-
mark Of an old colonist which grated on the ear
harshly at the time. He had just returned from
your Jubilee festivities. and remarked: i couiu
never go back TO England to live, to face again
that fearful poverty of the East End and your
manufacturing towns My God, II is too awful!
How many South Africans have in substance
said the same thing? In bidding gOodby 10 MI.
Escombe at Durham | observed: There is only
one fault 10 find with the cOuntry-It ought 10
have ten times as many white inhabitants.
"An very well but then we should begin TO nave
the struggle for existence. on thaI we al hollie
were only beginning to have il! have seen
something Of the homes Of the rich and the not
rich but have met no signs OF the care ana
striving Of our homelife. -,
The wife Of merchant assured me that All
was not gold that gttered. English ladies
don't know what it is TO have their housework
done by Kaffir boys" mo" chimed IN the nus
band, nor to be obliged TO pay lazy hisgefs lour
shllings day and not be able at that 10 get
your work done while thousands or them hang
about their kraals and do nothing. wouid
make them work" Quite unsympatheucaHy
answered II am pleased TO hear the Mann Is So
well OFF and as to you, madam. Wouio that d
few hundred thousand of my feiioW-counuy-
women might share your wretchedness IN THESE
surroundings"
AMBITION IN NATAL
Which reminds me Of a young Enghshnan IN
business at Pretoria who was bewailing ms non
success How long have you been mere ne
asked. "A bout eight or nine years. Anu
you are wOrtn% Perhaps seven or elght tiiou
sand pounds" "And how much do you thlnn
you would have made in England in that tliie
Quoth he, eyasively, yes, but that IS not niuO'
compared with other people who have been OUT
as long" 1t is a thousand years TOO soon ~
come to Africa to find the Earthly Paradise put
these good people know, or ought 10 KNOW nov
far they are removed from the stress and strain
Of European and American life The competi-
ton Of capital and its dwindlng returns, the ~
reQuted labor and dearth OF employment 'ne
long hours Of business and Of tot. the keen APP
plication the fierce rivalry. the block OK every
professional avenue are things nearly unkDo"n