SOUTH AFRICA TO-DAY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 19 January 1926, Page 10

SOUTH AFRICA TO-DAY.

INT EBESTING IMPRESSIONS. PRODUCE, GOLD, EDUCATION. Conditions in South Africa were interestingly reviewed by Mr. 11. J. Miller, formerly of 'Wellington, bn - , now of Johannesburg, who, with Mrs. Miller, and their son, Mr. H. A. Miller, is revisiting the Dominion after a long absence. Of South Africa, Mr. Miller spoke in glowing terms. In Rhodesia the settlers wore of a particularly good stamp, and wore renowned for their punctuality in keeping a bargain without recourse to written contracts. In South Africa the labour troubles were mainly caused by foreigners stirring up strife unnecessarily, the la-t trouble on the Rand only being suppressed by Premier Smuts (failing any settlement with the irreeoncilables). using gunpowder from guns and aeroplanes as a persuader. At present there is no evidence of trouble arising, and he hoped that state of affairs would continue. Although Mr. Hertzog was Premier of South Africa, he maintained office only by the aid of the Labour Party, who seemed to be disgruntled because they were not granted all they desired in ‘ return for their political support. Air. Hertzog, like most Dutch people, was a conservative by nature, and was not likely to go to the extremes the Labour Party desired.

Produc'e v. Gold. So far as tl?e produce of the country was concerned, Air. Ali Her said that the South Africans were greatly pleased at the fact that the produce of the soil generally exceeded that of gold. The gold output was nearly £50,000,000 per annum in value, but wool was responsible for about £29,000,000 (the merinos obtained from Australia doing very well); the mcalie (maize) crop was a very good one last year, 20,000000 bags (worth about £12,000,000) being available for export; while dairying, although not so important, was rapidly coming to the front, the Friesland beast, being in great demand. Air. Miller had gone in for pedigree Jersey;! on his farm, and was well satisfied with the result. Outsiders had little idea of the amount of farming successfully carried out in South Africa. Education Problems.

Speaking about education, Air. Aliller said that for the obtained too much was being spent on secondary and higher education, with the result that the professions were overstocked, so many youths aspiring to be lawyers, doctors, etc., and looking down upon traders and other useful occupation even though the unskilled labour was supplied by Kaffirs. There were several agricultural colleges, but even .» them the tendency of the students w*s to despise farming as an occupation for educated men. There did not seem to be the right kind of interest taken by the authorities in imparting practical as well as theoretical knowledge. Tne aspiration for a professional education seemed to have been accentuated since the establishment of the University at Cape Town.