Evening star., 1907-11-04
LABOR IN SOUTH AFRICA
BRITISH COLONIES BADLY GRIP
PIED AND NEED HELP.
Effect Of Exporting Chinese, Who
Were Brought to Transvaal to
Work in the Mines.
Special Cablegram to The Star

|
! PRETORIA. November 4.-Accordins to
some authorities all the British colonies
in South Africa are on the verge of bank
| ruptcy owing to the scarcity of labor and
the deportation of the Chinese, who were
| brought to the Transvaal to work the
mines. MIR. Winston Churchill recently
| justified the guarantee of the S25. 600 coo
| Transvaal loan on the ground that other
wise the government of this colony
| would have had to go cap In hand to the
| mine magnates-in other words, would
have rad to consider the views of those
controlling the one important industry
of the country as to the adequate supply
of cheap labor necessary to carry on and
| develop that industry. Now, this was a
| very serious declaration. 1t means:
% That the government set up in this
country by Sir Henry Campbell Banner
mans ministry has not sufficient credit
to raise even s25, 100000 on reasonable
terms without assistance from either the
home government or the mine magnates
C2) That 1t cannot carry on the gov
ernment without borrowing at least $50
100000.
| 3) That the home government is de-
| termined to encourage the colonial gov
ernment to set at defiance those control
| ling the only conside rable industry in the
country, Willie DCTIOWlUS ulOHty lIldl cdl
only be paid out of the pockets of those
| set at defiance.
In view Of this position, 1t is important
| to consider whether the local government
can in the long run set the mine mag
mates at de.-ance.
A few weeks ago one Of the ablest
men in the colony-one who knew the
Rand when 1t was bare veldt, and had
his finger on the pulse of the country
ever since-declared that in his judgment
ho Tn al nit fx1yc1 ont oS
be within q measurable distance of bank
| ruptcy-Cape Colony, Natal and the
Orange River Colony. His argument
amounted to this: that the development
| of the mines was not keeping pace with
extraction, and that not only was the
| solvency of the Transvaal based on its
one great asset the mines. but that the
debts of the other colonies-incurred in
making forts and building railways-were
| also based on the assumption that this
| great asset would be developed and made
| available as rapidly as possible.
| This man said that he and others asso-
| ciated with him held 800 claims on an ex-
ceIlent portion of the main reef in the
derella and the Cinderella Deep, and
that the reef was there only 1900 feet
below the seurface, but that they had to
leave this most valuable property dormant
which were untrue. deprived them of the
labor necessary to make this property
productive He insisted that no one could
| be expected to open a new mine. at a
cost Of from $4,000 to 100, 600. In re-
| lance on the labor Of kaf1irs, who were
essentially lazy, who could not be CO.
creed and who only worked spasmodically
and fitfully-sometmes for three months
in the year, sometimes for four months,
but only occasionally for longer periods.
He further insisted that the 300 claims OF
| which he Is part owner are only a part
of thousands of similar claims hung up In
| like circumstances.
1t has been pointed out by one of the
mining inspectors Of the present colonial
| government that several of the 0utcrop
mines are approaching extinction. and
that unless others are opened to take their
place the industry must be regarded as a
decaying one. 1t is in the opening of new
mines rather than in working fully devel-
oped mines that the white Workmen reap
| their principal harvest.
The country Is heavily in debt, and s.
per cent OF the taxes of the country are
paid by the Witwate rsrand. The losses
from shrinkage in market value of land
houses, businesses. shares, railways
already appalling while the anguish OF
| concealed poverty-proud men watching
their children eat food that Kaff1rs decline
lis such that ANY stony heart would
rue thereat." 1t can scarcely be said any
longer that trade is bad Trade has al
4 most ceased to exist. Every pawnbro.
| ker's shop has full trays of medals wor
by the men who fought the Beers for Eng
land and whom England is now abandon.
| ing in their utmost need.
| Unless England Is prepared to go on
guaranteeing more loans for the Trans.
vaal its COVE rnment, when 1t has spent
the $25.0OO.O eco now being borrowed. will
be compelled either to come to terms with
| the only industry strong enough to stanC
serious taxation or to default on its pub
| lie debt.