SOUTH AFRICAN NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 14225, 26 November 1909, Page 3

SOUTH AFRICAN NOTES

[From Our Own Correspondent.] DURBAN, October 22. No loss than twenty-five Chinese rioters were arraigned at the criminal sessions at Johannesburg during the current week. Said rioting took tlib form of assaulting His Majesty’s lieges with stones and bludgeons, firing revolvers at the police, and other playful manifestations of exuberant animal spirits. Sentences ranged from fines of £ls to terms of imprisonment varying from two to seven years’ hard labor. The riots weie tho outcome of the newly-formulated regulations governing tho registration of Asiatics, and were, in effect, an improvement—from a Chinese point of view—on tho passiveresistance policy, by which those gentry have decided to signify their disapproval of the Government measures. There is no doubt that Rhodesia is going ahead. Both in the matter of agricultural development and in tho mining world of that province considerable activity is noticeable. As regards farming, the authorities are widely advertising their .desire to lease grazing and arable land at ridiculously low terms, ranging from Is tkl per acre rent per annum. Special inducements are added in the way of reduced railway rates for local produce end for persons taking up land. Capital or stock is advanced on exceptionally easy conditions, and now that Rhodesia, is free irom East Coast level - and other disabilities there is doubtless a future for the enterprising settler. Turning to the mining industry, one cannot but bo struck with the numbers of new discoveries reported nearly every week, and the vast amount of capital flowing into the country from England ami the Continent. Systematic prospecting is now being undertaken, and last week there arrived at Bulawayo four experienced prospectors with knowledge of Australasia, Siberia, and the United States. They are under engagement to the Chartered Company, and will short I.’ leave—two for each province—lor Northern. Mashonal arid and Southern Mataheleland. All expenses, outfit, etc., are provided by the company, and if any payable proposition he discovered it will"bo worked by development companies or syndicates formed by the authorities. Each prospector will share in the profits, and more than one private company has signified its intention of carrying on prospecting on similar lines. The throe school inspectors dismissed from the Orange Ere - .; State Educational Department have been provided with other employment by the authorities, but their removal has i one the less been made the subject of acrimonious debates in the Blooinfoptein .Parliament. It seems that the Dutch have suffered at least a moral defeat in the matter, and that tho re-employment of tho six wrongfully-discharged inspectors in other capacities was a concession to public opinion both here and in England. Johannesburg notes include the passage of tho Gaming Act, which does away with the bookmaker and imposes a Government tax - on the totalisator. Racing club fixtures are limited to Saturdays and public holidays, which will lead to a good deal of clashing of the various registered meetings, "and licensing fees are to be increased. But no provision is made to prevent bookmakers carrying on their calling bevond •the boundaries of the province, and one may expect to seo the pcncillers running their business at. border towns, such as Charlestown and elsewhere, uulundered by tho State. The Act comes into force to-dav.