RAND OUTPUT AND PROFITS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 138, 7 December 1907, Page 13

RAND OUTPUT AND PROFITS.

During* August and September, Iho Band gold mines w^ro producing at the maximum rate in the history of the industry. Looking at the output in the aggregate (says tho Natal Mercury) the results are impressive, and haA'c been taken to sooav that the disappearance of 6ome thousands of Chinamen has had no disturbing effect, an.i may have encouraged the assumption that the mines Avill go on as gaily as ever, Avhen the whole army of coolies has been repatriated. It is Avhcn aa'c coino down to such details as Mr. Schumacher supplied to the shai"3ho!ders of tho Glen Deep that this complacency is apt to b-a shaken. The Glen 'Deep has been amongst the first of the mines lo be affected by tho repatriation policy. Its complement of coolios had been reduced by the end of September to 523. The places of the repatriated Chinamen were filled by natives drawn chiefly from Cape Colons'. This seems all in accordance Avith the policy of repatriation iind replacement which the Government aro determined to see carried out. But. AA'hat Avere the consequences as regards the output and nrofits of the mine.? In September, the gold recoA-cry dropped to 6121 ounces from the previous month's 7729 ounces, while ' the monthly profit shrank from £10,000 to £2700. There would, naturally, be some disorganisation oAviug to the transition ift the class of labour, even if the substitute found for the. coolies had proved emciont, and not more expensive ; but tho striking fact is that the production Avas reduced by only 20 per cent., Avhile the profits fell lo the extent of 73 per cent. • The natives' available are not good workers, but are expensiA'-a, and the Avorking costs of tho mine haA-e risen by 5s per ton. If a similar tale has to* be told by other mines, as 'the repatriation proceeds, the position Avill obviously become very serious.