SOUTH AFRICAN PROSPERITY

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21578, 14 September 1935, Page 18

SOUTH AFRICAN PROSPERITY

GOLD MINING INDUSTRY AS BASIS MR E. G. KERR'S RETURN [THE PRESS ijeclai Serrie*.] AUCKLAND, September 13. The fact that South Africa was enjoying prosperous times was menUonelby M? E. G. Kerr of Timaru on his return to New Zealand by the Wanganella from Australia. Mr Kerr visited South Africa with the New Zealand delegation which attended toe Imperial Press Conference <**««"; pire Press Union held early this year. "The reasons for South Africa's prosperity are threefo'td-the high prices of sold cheap labour for mining, and the fact that the people think they are on a good thing for a long time, said Mr Kerr. "South Africa to-day is the world's largest supplier of go d, and last year's production amounted to £71,000,000." * . Africa When Mr Kerr was in South Af«ca, Johannesburg was ex^"t n ""f ne ? boom. "At Poetically .every corner you turned you saw business.premises and large blocks of flats being built. Skilled carpenters and bricklayers were in great demand Bricklayers were receiving as much at £6 "s a weeky and yet employers could not get enough of them." _- Another indication of prosperity, Mr Kerr continued, was the number of people who Were able to afford household servants. Throughout the Union it was common for artisnns to employ native servants to assist their wives in their household duties.