SHORT BUT SHARP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 12, 15 January 1934, Page 4

SHORT BUT SHARP.

SLUMP IN SOUTH AFRICA. CONDITIONS NOW IMPROVING. "Although South Africa has had only about eighteen months of real depression, tho slump has been terribly acute, but the Rand gold mines have helped to keep the country going," said Mr. T. W. Curryer, a building contractor of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, who arrived at Auckland by the Marama from Sydney this morning. With his wife and two daughters, Mr. Carryer will spend about six weeks in the Dominion. He will visit a brother whom he has not seen for 32 years.

"Economic conditions in South Africa are similar in many respects to those in Australia,'' said Mr. Carryer. "There is now a slight improvement in South Africa. There is a double unemployment, problem, for the coloured population lias to be considered, and that, of course, makes a big difference to the white man. The Union has been up against it with its exports of fruit. Oranges exported from South Africa are now equal to anything exported from Australia, but the Union lias suffered in prices just as other exporting countries." Wool prices were picking up splendidly and South African wool was on the rise with Australian. Where New Zealand had had three years of depression, South Africa had had only about 18 months, but it had been very acute. South Africa had remained on the gold standard until about 12 months aco, and that had had a great effect on the economic condition, of the country. It had made matters difficult. There had been severe droughts in the country this season, and the Government had been forced to come to the aid of the farmers and transport sheep hundreds of miles to new pastures. "Tho Johannesburg mines aro helping to keep the country going," said Mr. Carryer. "Greater business has been done on tho Johannesburg Gold Exchange in the past few months than for many years previously. Diamonds are quiet and the mines at KimberJey are almost at a standstill." Mr. Carryer, who was born in England, has been in South Africa for 32 years. His own business, the. building trade, was the first to be hit by the depression, and ho said the trad© was down to zero at the moment.