IN SOUTH AFRICA.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 137, 16 July 1914, Page 7

IN SOUTH AFRICA.

CONDITIONS REVIEWED. * DOMINIONS COMMISSION REPORTS By Cable. —Press *'Association. —Copyright. LONDON, July 15. The Dominions Commission's . South African report suggests the amalgamation. of the Rand mines into a single Trust, the only disadvantage of which would be the creation of an interest so powerful as to be a menace to Government authority. The present system of recruiting black labour is expensive and inefficient, while white labour is discontented and unstable, and often unsuited to be in authority over -the natives. Regarding agriculture, the most pressing need is scientific water conservation. The Commission advocates extensive dairy farming and the opening up of the eountry for settlers, thereby inducing immigration. It states that farmers need from £IOOO to £2OOO to start with in South Africa. There is little co-opera-tion among dairy farmers as compared with Australia and New Zealand, but the co-operative movement is making strides.

... The Commission recalls its remarks in its second interim report upon the general advantages of the Cape route for Australian and New Zealand mails being insufficiently realised. The route from Britain to Adelaide, via the Cape, is only 600 knots longer than via Gibraltar and Suez, and it is a matter for surprise that no serious effort has been made to organise a joint mail service to South Africa and Australia. Before further contracts are completed, there should be consultations between the British and Dominion Governments.

The Commissioners urge the authorities not to rest until week-end cable messages of ten or twelve words can be transmitted throughput the Dominions at an inclusive charge of 5/-. Such messages would afford the people of the Empire a means of'maintaining family and national relations to which they are legitimately entitled. The Commissioners strongly commend week-end Press messages, which might well be at the rate of a penny a word up to 800 words. They protest against the high Press cable rates between South Africa and the other Dominions.