PROSPERITY WAVE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 137, 13 June 1938, Page 9

PROSPERITY WAVE.

LUCKY SOUTH AFRICA. HIGH EFFICIENCY OF MINES. RAILWAYS MINISTER'S VISIT. "We are looking forward to a period of exceptional prosperity for the next 25 years," stated Mr. L. I'. Van Zyl Ilam. Minister of Railways, South Africa, who arrived at Auckland by the Xia<rara 111 i morning to spend a month's holiday in the Dominion. He in accompanied by Mrn. Ham.

' Since I left South Africa in March t ln?re hit* Iteen a jreueral elect ion. atiil the United (Jovernment has been returned in utrenjrtli. *o that there will !«• very little cliftHire," *aid Mr. Hum. "'Die Union its at the present time enjovinj; a period of <rreat prosperity. 'J lie amount of buiidinjr that i* «rnin<; on in all the larjfe ♦fiwns, particularly those in the minincr areas. is colossal. The only dilliculty (seems to he the shortage of native labour."

Mr. Ham said that the mining induatry in South Africa was, without exception, the most efficiently organised in the world, "I say this advisedly,"' he stated, "and I include every branch of mining, but particularly the gold mine*. "I see 110 chance of any setback in the mining industry, even if the price of gold should drop," added Mr. Ham. "Kveu if the price of gold drops, it cannot drop more than a few shillings. The probability is that the price will increase. It lit whatever happens, the industry hn<= reached such a state of efficiency in the treatment of low-grade | ores that ore yielding as low as 4dwt to the ton. si lid in <-ai-e*i even lower, can be treated profitably."' Oovernmcnt assistance for the mining industry has extended to a remarkable extent, stated Mr. Ham. Arrangements had been completed recently for 'the nursing of even the smallest mining undertakings. Not only was financial llielp forthcoming, but. also advice on {technical and administrative matters. Officer* were sent to small mines to I render every assistance possible. going Ithe length of measuring up prospectors'

claims, sampling the ore. and advising the miners of the lie»t method of approaching the propo*it ion.

Air. 11 ud -Miv. Ham hit\ o liikl a nuwt interesting trip. They t ra\<■ 11<*<1 \in

Madagascar. Mauritius and ]\fiitii>>;i If hi mi** to Hata\ ; a. where they spent \ 4-ii «'ci'k>i. ».iii a leisurely month in motoring through ,ln\a, t ln-m-.* through Sydney tn New Zealand. We iiavi- always w:iti I «■< 1 t< > visit the I>i >in i m ion ; in fart all South African" are very partial to New Zealand. as our two people* have so much 111 com moil," added Mr. Ham.