SOUTH AFRICA TO-DAY

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22444, 4 July 1938, Page 8

SOUTH AFRICA TO-DAY

“People on a Good Wicket”

VIEW OF SECRETARY FOR

MINES

That the people of South Africa were on a good “wicket” and were looking to another 25 years of unparalleled prosperity was the view expressed last evening by Mr L. P. van Zyl Kam, Secretary for Mines in South Africa, who is visiting Christchurch.

“The diamond trade is well organised and well regulated.” he said, “and the big diamond companies and the Government have decided that all sales should go through one channel. The market is improving, and the industry is feeding the world in accordance with requirements. The industry does not over produce and does not over sell, and it now has much more stability than in recent years. The gold mining trade in South Africa is one of the most efficiently-organised industries in the world.”

The amount of expansion is South Africa was difficult to describe, he continued. The system of government was stable and the political leaders were sound. When asked what measures were being taken by the Government in defence matters, Mr van Zyl Ham said that he was satisfied that defence was in good hands. “It is managed by a most efficient Minister ana a very capable department, ’ he remarked. There was no native question, and he considered that the natives in South Africa were treated belter than any others in the British Commonwealth of Nations. The Government had in hand a scheme to spend £10.000,000 to buy land for the natives. However, if a native wished to buy land in a black area or adjoining a black area he could do so. The country had a population of about 7,000,000 whites and 10,000,000 Kaffirs. Of the white population about 45 per cent, spoke Afrikaans and about 40 per cent. English. However. both languages were compulsory for the matriculation examination, and the net result was that the younger generation could all speak Afrikaans. Almost every adult of Dutch descent could speak English. • “I don’t think the controversy about the National Anthem in Africa can be regarded as serious,” he stated. Sheep and cattle farming were the only types which really paid, and an ordinary freehold farm ranged from about 200 acres to 60,000 acres in area. The Government s land settlement scheme was very liberal, and a man could advance one-fifth of the price of a property which he took up and pay the remainder off in 20 years. '