The New York herald., 1920-12-06
Official Figures Show Material
Output for First Half
of Year.
EXPENDITURES SMALLER
Check to Commercial Prosper
ity Of Country Has Not Af-
fected Basic Conditions.

just received a cable despatch from the
banks head office in Pretoria, Trans
\ vaal, giving a resume Of the conditions
in that country. The despatch is as fol-
lows:
| Despite the check TO commercial
prosperity the Union Government r.
nances for the first six months of the
current financial year are in sound
condition. Expenditure for the above
period is under half the annual esti-
mate. and whereas f165.00o deficit was
anticipated IL IS now undoubted that a
substantial surplus can be expected. The
revenue totalled $4,000. 900, against ex-
penditures OF f14.ooo.0Oo.
Tho Unions mineral output for Sep
tember was as follows:
Gold. 6s7,147 ounces. valued at s2, ,s1S.-
SIG. being decrease of 1929 ounces.
value f7S.4Ss. compared with the month
OF August.
| Silver, 71.077 ounces, valued at f15,-
992. being a decrease of s.42S ounces
and s2.5Ss In value
1 Diamonds. 201.579 carats valued at
f1,162, ,957. being a decrease of 29,3SS
carats and f211.5s In value.
Coal sales. 96O.Ss7 tons. valued al
1 f3s3,31l. being a decrease Of rs, ,2se tons
and f1s,762 In value.
| Copper sales and shipments. 7ss tons
valued at f15,2S0.
Tin sales and shipments, lis tons
valued at f10.90S.
Mining labor, 34,944 whites, 253,9S6
colorsd. showing decreases of LAST and
10.693 respectively.
Figures on Foreign Business.
Excluding Government imports and
| specie. the value of total imports for the
eight months ended August was f59,-
s19.6S4. compared with f32.392,917 for
the corresponding period OF last year.
Proportion Of British to foreign i'm
PORTS:
From United Kingdom. fsa.t47.52s,
equals $50 per cent.
From other. British possessions,
f6.S46,s42. equals 11.5 per cent.
From foreign countries, f19,525,S19,
equals 1926 per cent.
Last year the above percentages were
Az per cent. 10 per cent. and 40.S per
cent, respectively.
Oversee cargoes landed at Union ports
during eight months ended August to-
! tailed 100000 tons compared with 745,-
/ 600 tons during same period 1919. Total
value of exports, f3s,672,225 (excluding
raw gold, f25,707,970). compared with
! f31,460,6s5 last year. Chief items are /.
Wool -.................f .f14. .472.750
diamonds .............. S,611,9S2
Hides ...,............. 1,034,334
Sheepskins ............. 1,76S,256
Trade generally during October was
dull the future outlook being obscure
owing to British labor troubles and the
continued instability of the wool and
fnohair markets. Volume of business
meagre. Large supplies Of soft goods In
execution OF old orders are now arriving
and merchants are heavily stocked.
| Iron Goods Market.
Iron--Prices are harder and almost
| equal those OF steel
Steel PIates--Firmer. especially one
fourth inch and upward Veeniging
Steel Corporation about to produce IA
pound rails. sleepers and fittings.
British shovels firm at 75s- per dozen.
Wheelbarrows, 67s. TO 70s. each.
Electrical Goods--Locai values unaI-
tered. fair business reported Couti-
mental goods are cheaper here than Brit
ish Tor example. shades. IS. Sd. each,
compared with 5s. Cd.
1 Glass. Sheet, Plato and Fancy-Free
arrivals and demand now well met
| Foodytuffs and Groceries--Trade well
maintained. Coffee and tea stocks plenti-
ful., Board of control under prodteerinx
act published itinerary Will fix all
prices. Articles declared to be necessary
commodities under act now gazetted IN
clude building materials. chemicals,
dairy produce. fish, meat, fuel. furniture.
crockery, cereals groceries, fruit vege-
tables, agricultural implements. hard
ware, drapery. millinery and clothing
Control price of petrol, which is scarce.
raised October 26. Shell now So. per
| gallon retail at coast
Parliament further prorozued until
January 81.
Crops estimated below normal, as
follows: Wheat. per cent oats. 10 per
cent. barley. IL per cent sugar. 20 to
25 per cent.
wool-Fair weight sold East London
carly October, but at considerably lower
prices. For instance, super longs. 40d,
clean secured basis, while Transkeis
greasy. formerly sd. now Sd. Durham
| reports that occasional new clips have
aifANeQ DuL eVOkcu no competition.
Port Elizabeth quotes nominally greasy
super slSirted. f6d. TO 22d. good average,
I'D TO lid; average. Cd. to lid. mo
dunn to long bulky snow whites, 36d to
fcd.; short to medium snow whites. s2d.
to 34d. coarse colored, Cd. TO I'd
mohair-Saie at East London OF loo
baie9 Basuto reported at I'D. and few
sales Hetmmer firsts at reduced fig
ures, but demand appears satisfied.
Hides and Skins-Wealr. At Port
Elizabeth aheepslSin sales held on 18th
October 600 bales were offered and sold.
sound combtngs, Ia 1i5d. per pound !;
long woods. los. ND shorts, SID.
Ostrich Feathers--compotltIo fr-
regular, market displaying weaker
tendency; 1866 pounds sold October and
fetched E2SaSf Good whites. f5 los. to
Go ordinary. f% to &C; super Feminas.
. E5; common. e2 los. to R3; super spa
donas, f2 to Ez i0s
Maize = Oversee and local demand
small and prices declined. Government
is allowing export OF a further half
million bags. Railway facilities are In
adequate to moving maize to ports
Advices have been received that
freight rates will increase TO 90s per ton
Quotations: Twos. 1ss Cd: skies. l6s. Cd.
Waffle Bark-No demand; growers are
disinclined 70 strip and few supplies
offering.
Coal--Posltion is somewhat worse. but
prices remain unaltcrod. Steamers ar
riving for coal exceed departures and
many waiting btfnlprq