THE POSITION IN SOUTH AFRICA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10420, 19 April 1897, Page 5

THE POSITION IN SOUTH AFRICA.

"WAR OK COMPROMISE V A FBOrKSStoXiL gentleman, writing from Johannesburg to a Sydney merchant, refers at some length to the effect that the present political complications are having upon the trade and industries of South Africa. "We are," says the writor, "at present undergoing a dull and bad time, and prospects for two or three months are anything but bright, bub as the enquiry ii pn at Home, we all look forward to trie British Government doing something to assist us, either by war or compromise, I fear the former is the only means of obtaining .any help for us. Whatever is done, nothing can put us in a Worse condition than the present suspense, so we are in a kind of mood that war would be a blessing to us rather than a hindrance, and when once over I have no doubt bub tbab the place will go ahead with bigger strides than before. The English' capitalists have been complaining of so few dividends from the mines, and in many cases of the fact that there are none, which we attribute not to the poorness of the mines, but to the Government, who by taxes and concessions, rob the dividends from the shareholders. If less taxation and bribery existed, the rightful shareholders would derive their interests. An ultimatum from the British Government is tho only thing that will do any good. Request and appeals from the British Government, or from us, are taken no notice of whatever, but an ultimatum, backed up with a few war vessels, would] soon make them either submit or prepare for war, either of which would at the present juncture be beneficial to the country. It seems an unnatural rush for war, but, as I say, it is the only thing that will da any good to this country. To combine the two races is utterly impossible, and as the Boers are anxious to become tin superior race, I say let them try, and in thf end let the fittest survive. Mr. Rhodes, I think, has given his opinion, backed up by facts sufficiently strong, to show the Homi Government that British capitalists art filling the coffers of an unjust and unprincipled lob of people, and getting in returi nothing but oppression and detriment to thi mining industry, and to civilisation itself, As tar as South Africa itself is concerned, I have no doubt that ib has a great futuri before it. The country will never com pete with Australia or its products, but what ib does produce ib has only hal the distance to take to England. Bui there are too many drawbacks, such as rinderpest, locusts, horse sickness, hail, frosts, and many others that prevent farmers ) laying out much capital on their farms. Rut, as regards gold, there is every reason to believe that there are numerous reefy > to be found in South Africa, and, as has been the caso so far, in close proximity to water. So, when our troubles are all over, and we are settled down, either as United South Africa, or under the British flag, we shall have, I think, as prosperous a country as exists on the face of the earth,'