MOZAMBIQUE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 6 October 1942, Page 3

MOZAMBIQUE

AXIS INFILTRATION COLOURFUL PORTUGUESE COLONY Now that e floodlight has again been focussed on the island of Madagascar by reason of the resumed operations . there on the part of British troops. Mozambique, the jewel of Portugal s , colonial possessions, is becoming more prominent in the international picture. Situated on Che south-east African mainland. Mozambique, says a writer in the “Melbourne Age,” has a territory which extends from Amatogaland in the south to Tanganyika Territory in the north with a coastline of 162 ti miles. To the west lie tnc Transvaal, the Rhodesias and Nyasaland, and to the east the Indian Ocean. The inland frontiers are so irregular that their j width varies between 56 and 718 miles. The colony is separated from the island of Madagascar, which lies almost parallel with it, by the Mozambique Chan- | nel. 250 to 550 miles wide. From a strategical point of view Mozambique might turn out to be j more than important. It is the only , : "strange sphere"—even if neutral —in lhat part of the Indian Ocean which | is so important to Allied communica- | lions. Macao, near Hong Kong, which was occupied by the Japanese, as a preparation for their assault against the British Colony and Timor, both Portuguese positions now in enemy hands, gave warning of the role that Portugal's colonial empire was to play in the present world conflict. Mozambique, however, is “well protected” against Axis interference, especially since the occupation of the Vichy French islands, a fact which has no doubt influenced many a mind in Lourenco Marques. Nothing is more in the interests of the United Nations than a peaceful, productive and neutral Mozambique. THE ONLY NEUTRAL The colony and its capital, Lourenco Marques, play the same role in south and east Africa as Portugal and Lisbon do as a whole in Europe. It is the only “neutral territory” in that part of the world. But it has an entirely different role from that of the mother country. While streams of refugees, hunted for opposing the Axis regime to the extent that it became a life and death struggle, found refuge in Lisbon, and probably a springboard to America; in Lourenco Marques Axis supporters and Vichy French found shelter, even if "unofficially.” Many of the Johannesburg Nazis, when South Africa declared war against Germany and General Smuts decided to take strong action against the inner peril of the country, thought they would take a “ pleasure trip” to Lourenco Marques. There they tried to maintain fifth column activities. Most of them entered

the colony as tourists, which gave them the right to stay for three months; after that period there was a chance of being issued with a valid passport to extend their stay. Others who decided to “settle down” must have had in their possession £450. or a local fixed property with the minimum monthly value cf £l3 10s, to entitle them to remain. The strong Nazi I organisations in Johannesburg, where before war broke out members of the party greeted each other in the street with raised arm and loud “Heil. Hitler.” provided the necessary funds for those who had to flee. Mozambique is divided into three provinces. The capital of the Southern Province. Lourenco Marques. ] centre of Portuguese East Africa, is the i most advanced and civilised. Queli- • mane, the capital of Zambesia, and | Nampula, that of Niassa, are in more j than one way “behind God’s back. 14 There is a Governor-General there who 1 has held his position for four years, and : a so-called Government Council, which includes the elected members of the six electoral divisions of the country. ! East division has the right to send one member. Besides them, the three Gov- j ernors of the provinces and the General in command of the Portuguese East African Forces also hold seats on the council. The chattered “Companhia de Mocambique” administers the area known a? Manica and Sofala, which ' extends over 60.000 square miles, hav— | ing a 300—mile coast and population of 400.000. Amongst them are only 4000 Europeans. and even fewer Asiatics. The "Companhia” works in close co-operation with the Governmnt. is progressive and very prosperous. The inhabitants of the Colony of Mozambique total 4.000.000. These include some 30.000 Europeans and about the same number of Orientals, i One feature is an exception to any of the Occidental colonies, namely, the Asiatics do not outnumber the Portu- ! guese. As in other parts of Africa, the ' infiltration of Indians and Japanese was ! permitted freely; the Portuguese pre- | ferred to count on their own power and 1 vitality to make progress with a not 1 always successful native co-operation, j NATIVE MIGRATION To the natives, Mozambique is not j a good proposition. The lure of the j Transvaal gold mines, where they I receive more per week than in the | cane fields of their native land dur- j ing many months, is very great. Despite Portuguese restrictions to prevent ! huge masses of workmen leaving the j country, the migration of the natives steadily continues. The wages, even 1 for Europeans, are not high i n Portu- | guese East Africa, where conditions re- | fleet in many ways the same possibilities as those of the mother country. The area of 302,700 square miles of i Mozambique is rich in products, and i still provides an undisturbed produc- f tion of sugar, copra, sisal, maize, ! ground nuts and gold. I n our ra- j tioned, needy world, every ton of j sugar, copra and all the other neces- j sities which seemed to be in plenty ; before the war counts. Portuguese j East Africa is. however, more an importing Ilian exporting country, j British shipping, even before the war. j but now to a greater extent, holds first ; place; it i» more than 6.000,000 tons | each year. To Mozambique a friendly, 1 co-operative South Africa has great significance. The country depends on : her neighbour to the same, if not to a greater extent than on Portugal. The . rosperity of Lourenco Marques, depend mainly on Johannesburg. To i the heart of Portuguese East Africa, ” the population of the latter city "Lou- |i renco.” as they cal’ it for short, is the ji fashionable holiday resort. During the cold winter months hundred of visitors : go there from the Transvaal and other i Parts of South Africa. With a popula- i tion of 50.000. Lourenco appears to be a j combination of Europe, Africa and the ! Orient. It has a European population j of 13.000. amongst them being about i 600 Britishers. Merchants from British j India are well represented, and their j numerous commercial ac‘ ities can be : noticed. They live in close communi- \ ties, and to many of them the centre ! of spiritual life is the picturesque mos- j cue of Lourenco Marques, (lie pride of : the East African Mahometan world. j CIVIC CLEANLINESS Flic two most prominent features : of the city's outside appearance are ij spacious squares and cleanliness. Na- I lives work incessantly to keep clean l

not only the main street of Lourenco, ' but even the side streets and byways, too. The streets are laid out in * I rectangular plan, mostly macada mised, wide and well drained. Bord ered by jacaranda, they provide a pleasant sight. At the “municipal i market” again we And the Oriental j cosmos, but without European influence. It is the natives' own world. The Portuguese houses are constructed 1 in the same style as those of the mother country, which expresses the patriotism j of the colonists, who feel more PortuI guese than those at home. ■ The “Casinos” —two of them —where ! the visitors can play roulette, depend mostly on holidaymakers. In much the same way as in Brazil or Macao the Portuguese gambling spirit has a great influence. Not only in the gambling dens, but outside in the streets and the harbour, natives gamble their money away amongst each other. They work hard in the freezing plant*, where tropical fruit is stored, and then sent away to all parts of the world. They toil in the harbours, in the fields and in the streets, only to lose their earnings in a matter of hours. Polana beach, with a picturesque background formed by masses of cliffs and deep green vegetation, is another source of attraction. Holidaymakers, coming mainly from Transvaal and the Orange Free State, camp near the beach, preferring that way of living to the other in the palatial Palana Hotel, which, expensive and luxurious, is an abode for the rich only. The old fortress of Nossa Senhora de Comceiao, in just the same way

as the other fortifications of bygone days throughout the colony, are kept in such a manner that one should breathe history there. Tourist attractions to-day. to-mor-row those fortifications might become vitally important in the defence of Mozambique against Japanese at- ; tempts to seize the free Portuguese colony. There can be hardly any doubt that a plan to gain control of the East African coast line is in the minds cf Nipponese strategists. Now that Madagascar has escaped the fate of becoming an Axis-dominated territory, the next prospect, no doubt is Mozambique. In peace time a squadron of Dragoons and a battery of artillery, composed of Europeans only, two machine guns and ten companies of infantry, composed of natives, under European officers and N.C.O.'s. are the full military strength of the colony. Patriotic and proud as the Portuguese colonies are. there is no doubt in their minds that freedom and independence, which they value so high - ly. can be expected from the United Nations only—and never from the Axis bullies; so for them to dispose of the Nazi danger which might arise in their midst is more than a question of honour alone: it is a matter of of life and death. SOUTH AFRICAN S GRATEFUL THANKS j A South African visiting New Zea- | land has just written the following:— ! ‘As a visitor from South Africa I | feel 1 would be failing in my duty if j I did not write and tell you how much ! appreciate your wonderful Lung Pre server. Recently I was quite unable , to shake off a bad 'flu attack and was going to a nursing 1 nme when someone | recommended Baxters To make a long story-short I was made well in a very short time and needless to say am an 18 carat enthusiast for Baxters and will see that our chemists stock it when 1 return to South Africa Baxters is truly a godsend to humanity.“ Although Baxters is a New Zealand remedy, from all over the world come testimonials to the efficacy of this popu--1 !ar cough remedy Travellers take it I with them. Friend? nnd relatives over seas send for it. There is no doubt about it there is nothing like Baxters anywhere Get better—get Baxters, the proved cough lemedy with the tonic