In South Africa

Mt Benger Mail, 27 October 1937, Page 1

In South Africa

Matamata Man’s Views GOLD BOOM IN PROGRESS Interesting comment on conditions in South Africa was made to a representative of the Press in Matamata by Mr C. Fleming, who has recently returned from Durban, Johannesburg and Capetown. Commenting on the visit of the Springboks, Mr Fleming said that the tour had not advanced far when he left, but he recalled the amazement with which the announcer over the air had stated that the attendance at the Auckland match was 50,000. The announcer compared that attendance with the South African record of 35,000 at Johanesburg, set up during the last All Blacks’ tour. In conversation with a friend, who was an ex-selector of the Transvaal Union, Mr Fleming was told ■that the team was regarded by responsible critics as the best to ever leave South Africa. Some people in New Zealand held that an internation touring side should be able to play under all conditions and therefore should be able to overcome muddy grounds. The fact remained, however, said Mr Fleming, that with the exception of Capetown players, all of the others had never played in the wet. The winter was very dry, except for that portion of the country near the Cape, and even if rain happened to fall in Natal or the other provinces, the sandy soil was so porous that there was never any mud. The Gold Boom The gold boom had resulted in phenomenal development, remarked Mr Fleming. An instance of this was the locality between Springs and Nigel, near Johannesburg. Three years ago this area was bare veldt; now it was a continuous line of gold mines for 12 miles. There was none of the old style of canvas camp, but rows upon rows of modern brick houses, of very varied design, with water supply, well-arranged streets, sports grounds and so on. Everything was permanent, and in the centre was a native hospital costing £160,000. The mines were at a deep level, and production was not yet in full swing. There was little dairy farming as it was known in New Zealand. The season only lasted seven months, and cows had to be hand fed beyond this period. The quality of the butter was generally atrocious an not to be compared with the New Zealand article. He only knew of three factories in Natal. Government of Country In the government of the country there was none of the political clashing apparent in Australia, as between States. The four provinces—Cape, Colony, Natal, Orange Free State and Transvaal —attended only to their own hospitals, schools and roads, and the Union Government managed everything else. The Dominion was very prosperous and a large proportion of taxation came from gold and diamonds. The income tax minimum was £450 and taxation on the whole was light. The last available statistics showed that the average dividend from producing gold mines was 39 per cent., with an average of 25 per cent over all mines, whether producing or not. A big percentage of the population gambled in gold shares. A rumour that England and America were to cease buying gold had caused such a slump in shares that many had to sell up their homes and effects to clear themselves.