THE CONDITION OF NATAL.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10786, 13 October 1900, Page 5

THE CONDITION OF NATAL.

A WARNING TO NEW ZEALANDERS

A TALK WITH MR VIBERT.

(BY (TO& SPECIAL REPORTER.)

The question whether Natal ..will be a good field for Ne\r Zealanders after the war is one of considerable interest. On Thursday a the staff of "The Press" had a chat with MrP. 1\ Viberi, who has recently arrived from South Africa. Mr Vibert resided for many years in Durban, where he practised as an architect and erected a good number of the principal buildings there.

"What is the possibility of settlement in Natal so far as New Zealanders are concerned?" was the first question.

"Well," said Mr Vibert, 'any one going from New Zealand would be grievously disappointed. The climate is exceedingly hot, there is not much rain, and nothing will grow. It would rather astonish' New Zea'landers, used as they are to the beautiful vegetables we hwe*seen since we have been here, if they had to put up with the dwarf carrots and bad potatoes. Mechanics can get. almost anything, but I do not think that New Zealand mechanics would like the conditions ati all. They, so far as I can see, are somewhat spoilt for anywifaesre else. Apart from this, there willi>e such-a rush to the country from all pails of the world that there will be but litble chance. Then there will 5e the Kaffir labour problem to be solved. So far as actual labour is concerned, 'this is done- by the Kaffirs, so that there will not be any chance for mere labourers. Speaking of the climate of Durban, I may say tkit for seven months ut a stretch the temperature on my verandah was at 82deg. No, I should nut advise anyone in New Zealand or Australia to go to South Africa. Natal was, of course, very much affected by the wai*. The- refugees crowded into Durban, and the place was filled with them." A MARKET FOR N.Z. PRODUCE. '"There is no doubt of one thing," contiin ued Mr Vibert, "when the war is over, there will be a grand opening for trade in your produce and frozen meat. Durban is "supplied with frozen meat from Australia and South America, but it is not to be compared in quality with what we have seen since we came here. To us, what we see in the shops is like a display of prize meat. I feel sure that once the New Zealand frozen meat got into the market there, the demand for it would be very large. Then for potatoes and onions the market would be practically inexhaustible, but they must be sound and good. It is no use sending potatoes and onions unless they are reaJly first-class quality. Good potatoes would fetch in Durban from 25s to 30s per bug; 'and onions from 3d to 4d per l'b. Even after deducting the cost of shipment there would be a large margin of protit to the shippers. I should advise the Chamber of Commerce to open up communication with the Chambers of Commerce over there as to the cargoes to foe sent. If New Zealand stepped in quickly with her' produce, she would! soon liave a large and exceedingly remunerative' trade , with South Africa—as I have said, vegetables will not grow in the climate, and on one occasion owing to a shipment having missed, we were a fortnight without beef in Durban."