BACK FROM SOUTH AFRICA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12570, 11 May 1904, Page 6

BACK FROM SOUTH AFRICA.

GLOOMY ACCOUNTS. [BY TELEGBAPB.—OWK CORBESI'OXDEXT.J Wellington-, Tuesday. About 25 persons who have "tried their luck" in South Africa, and failed, arrived here by the Tongariro. They give a gloomy account of the condition of things in that country. : One of the passengers, Mr. T. H. Smith, who lived in New Zealand, and afterwards in Queensland, before going to South Africa as a member of the Queensland Contingent, entered into the produce and fodder business in Johannesburg at the end of the war. ' Foi fifteen months after the war." he said, " business was all right, and nobody with any 'go' in him could help making money. There were any number of Imperial troops about and they kept things very lively. After that business began to slacken, and mouth after month saw things get- worse and worse. The troops were recalled, and oulv about eight of over 100 mines on the black reef, which runs through Johannesburg, were kept going. The others were shut down, as cheap labour to work them was not tc be had. • At. present only about a third of them are working." - Concerning the introduction of the Chinese, he says that "things are so bad there that the people are forced into wanting them. They detest the idea of their coming, but are in that, terrible condition when they would welcome anything to bring about a change in their circumstances." Mr. Smith said tjiat within fifteen months after the war a bag of vegetables, a few cabbages and carrots, would bring anything up to 15% now the dealers cannot find purchasers at half-crown. The people haven t the money. Eight out of every ten busiesses * are being run at a loss at' present, and there isn't- a hotel even that is paying. There are many hundreds of men, tradesmen and unskilled, out of work, yet people seem to be still pouring into the country. [by telegraph.—press association.] Wellington', Tuesday. There is not much to report, says the Trade Commissioner in South Africa, in a letter to the Department of Industries and Commerce, in the way of business. In Durban. in some respects, the pinch is being felt more than ever, and there are many insolvencies every week.