"CAPE COLONY."

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15234, 22 February 1913, Page 4 (Supplement)

"CAPE COLONY."

ITS -HISTORY, COMMERCE, INDUSTRIES, AND RESOU3X3EB. "Cam Colokt: Its History, Commerce, Industries, and Resources," compiled and edited by Somerset Playne, F.R.G.S. (Foreign and, Colonial Publishing Co., London), forms : a very complate and thorough history of what is now the Cape ! of Good Hope province, in the Unicn of South Africa. > The compiler has spared no pains in making the work complete, historically and commercially it deals effectively with both aspects of the provincial growth. - < The Cape of Good Hope first discovered and rounded by the Portuguese in the ; .r search for a way to India, passed through a period of being regarded as "no man's land." A century after its disco it was occupied by the Dutch East India Company, largely for the value of Table Bay as a port of call on the road to India in the days of sailing ships and long voyages. Then came its annexation by Britain. Even in those early days the wealth of the colony was recognised, but since steam and the Suez Canal opened up a new route to the East the richness and'-variety of the colony's resources have been somewhat obscured by the glamour of the ' goldfielcV of the inland provinces and the romance of the latterly won Hinterland -of Rhodesia. The various authors, however, take a rosy and optimistic view of the future, and Mr. Playne cheerily writes: " This volume will not have been Ciirapiled in vain if it serves tc remind men that the Cape has not a storied, past and a profitable present, but a future full of promise." Naturally the political life of the Cape comes in for much notice, and in it is traced the influence which the great Empire-builder, Cecil Rhodes, started.. Of him it is said: "In 1881, fresh from the successful amalgamation of the diamond mines at Kimberiey, which had established his reputation an a leader of men, he entered the Cape Parliament, and from that moment it was felt that new influence had come •' into the life of the colony," Ostrich FazraJng ' at ' the Cape. - ;> . The growth of the province has been a romantic one. With it have grown many ; vast industries, such as stock-raising, ; agriculture,, and the breeding of ostriches. The latter forms one of the main indus- . tries, and its dimensions can best be ; judged by making a comparison between i the figures for the year 1865, when i 17.8111b of feathers, valued at £65,426, i were exported, and those for the. year • 1905, when 471,0241b, worth £1,081,187, i ! were exported- The birds are farmed by ; enclosing large camps or paddocks of |! perhaps 1000 acres of land, with a good, j j substantial wire fence of , sft in height, \ ] with posts 10ft apart. In the paddocks j ',

the birds are left to graze and: roam! about, • no. shelter or protection of any ; sort being provided; Sometimes special : Satches /of lucerne are cultivated $r-. the : irds, and it is estimated that from three \ 1 to - five ostriches can graze to the acre. The : birds are of great value j; for the/best : males jit is ;a*common• thing to ; pay £200 ,or £300 each. In 'some instances exceptionally good ' birds have realised £1000. i To the student of African affairs the volume is particularly interesting and must prove : of great value, both for:its present- • day value and future ! reference. It is ; a handsome volume, excellently well .printed and bound and prolificacy illustrated;' the ' pictures being -sufficient in themselves to form a pictorial history of the growth and: industries of the Cape. Owing ito the many difficulties arising from the admixture of English, Dutch, and native names and words, the compiler has wisely, stated: "In this ..volume we -have endeavoured .to keep to a uniform and ' what /wo believe j to he the most- popular and / convenient rendering."; ;,' . ; ■ . ,'• .