SOUTH AFRICAN CONDITIONS

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25935, 15 October 1949, Page 2

SOUTH AFRICAN CONDITIONS

INTRODUCTION OF IMPORT CONTROL

COMPARISONS WITH N.Z. PRICES

[From CLAUDE KING, New Zealand Press Association correspondent with the All Blacks]

WELLINGTON, October 14. With the exception of land, housing rents and most food lines, the All Elacks in the early part of their tour of South Africa found the prices of goods cheaper than in New Zealand. On the eve of their departure, however. there were signs that a long period of leisurely indulgence in all Ihe world’s best goods at remarkably reasonable prices was coming to an end. Sunny South Africa, which for practically half a century has been isolated from the shattering effects of war, has at last been caught in the mesh of world affairs. Heavy spending after the second Avar depleted her gold reserves. To-day South Africa has been compelled, through this and other reasons, to introduce import control. Retail prices are rising, and there is evidence of unemployment in certain trades. The New Zealanders, to whom import control has passed the stage of being an Irritating infant, viewed on their arrival with almost goggle-eyed amazement the number of new motor-cars .in South Africa. Old models were a 'rarity. Shops carried full and varied 'stocks. Clothing was generally on a par with New Zealand. Retail prices of engineering tools, and electrical goods were fully 20 per cent, cheaper. Nylons were plentiful at the outset of the tour. Footwear was dearer, particularly women’s. Household lines, sur-h as linen and blankets, were surprisingly cheap. Furniture was on a par Butter was 2s 8d a pound and was in short supply. Meat was dear, by New Zealand standards, and net comparable in quality. Hotel tariffs were lower than in New Zealand, but adequate labour made the provision of plentiful services a simple matter. Waiters, wine stewards, housemaids, and houseboys were all natives, Indians or coloureds and averaged up to £2 a week with keep, in some cases more.

South Africa caters lavishly for the tourist trade, with large numbers of luxurious hotels. The reasonable tariffs could be attributed to the easy labour supply. Liqueurs, spirits and beer, were one-third greater and in some cases double the New Zealand prices, but cigarettes were cheap, ranging from 2s 6d to 3s 6d for 50. Domest’c assistance offers no problem. Practically no home is without native boys or girls, coloureds or Indians. As cooks, maids or general assistants, they receive from £4 to £8 a month. Curfew’ hours exist in practically ail cities and towns, ranging from 9 to 10 p.m. Natives could, however, stay out later on special passes from their employers. Price controls operate on consumer goods. These take the form of gazetted schedules which are reviewed from time to tim°. Import merchants work on a factor basis comparable with their 1939 price list. It is virtually impossible to procure a reasonable home in South Africa under £3OOO and generally prices are much in advance of this. Each municipality has varying restrictions on buildings, but these are much more elastic than in New Zealand. The average home would be 2000 square

"eet under roof. Land values arc fantastic, because of heavy . speculation after the war. No controls exist as m New Zealand. The All Blacks arrived in South Africa at a period when her handling of native and Indian populations was the subject of discussion at the United Nations, where the Minister of Inter-

nal Affairs (Mr Eric Louw) was very active in presenting the South African viewpoint? To most of the tourists, it appeared that with some exceptions 'he native and coloured population seemed to be happy with their lot. South Africa’s approach to the native question mav arouse criticism from visitors, but at the back of it may be the fact that while lhe white population is just over 2.250.000. there are 11 000 000 blacks. Political viewpoints may colour any approach to this problem. Manv outsiders, having observed the conditions existing, contend it is essentially a problem for South Africa to solve in her own way. To those who feel there is undue exploitation which should be exposed, they say, where would this lead, with throe different types of non-Europeans, B?ntu. or indigenous natives, coloureds, and Indians. On the credit side are some highly commendable efforts in education, housing, and employment. Chief among these is Port Elizabeth’s big model housing scheme for the Bantu. Slum areas are progressively demolished. Here v. ere to be seen homes for aged and invalid natives. 5000 houses built for 30.000 persons, in 12 years, end creches, supervised by qualified native teachers, for children whose parents were working. Natives are employed in the erection of these? houses. Labourers work a 48-hour wee’.: of five days, and earn Is an hour for unskilled. and 1s lOd an hour for skilled tradesmen. Rents for these houses are from 4s 8d to 6s 8d a week. There are other nleasing native housing schemes at Pretoria and Kimberley. On the debit side are the prevalence of some bad native slum areas in the maior cities. The drift, to towns and cities has tended to aggravate the congestion of natives in those areas, and has led to unemployment, because of many of them being unsuited to industrial activity. At the same time, it has created a big shortage of trained farm labour.