SOUTH AFRICA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12445, 30 August 1902, Page 2

SOUTH AFRICA.

(Fkost Oua Own Cobbesposdekt.) JOHANNESBURG, July 15.

I was in Johannesburg 18 ago. It- is a different Johannesburg to-day. Then the fine business premises' along Commissioner and Pritchacd streets and in the vicinity of the squares were boarded up. Now all these have fronts and windows burnished, with goods temptingly displayed for purchase. Then the population consisted for the most part of khaki-clad men. Now, while thore aro still a great many to be seen in soldiers' toggery, the great hulk are iu the soberest of attiro, .but though the streets are filled with a bulling crowd tho number aimlessly parading lip and down or loitering at the' corners is very large. Then'the-thoroughfares were cobbley and •unkept. Now, with, nothing done to restore them, 'the greater traffic has broken away the sidepatlis, and the haulage along every avenue has cut them up, so that there are deep l'uta every few yards,—for the rest chiefly sand; red sand everywhere, and when it blows, which happily it seldom does in this dry springtime, it makes .life's burden; hard to hear. The incongruity of an opulent city like this being so dirty and ill-attended to will, of course, pass away. It will be strange, if cesspools wall for long be permitted to exist in front of the splendid swell establishments in tho inner circle.' Rome was not built in a day, neither can. Johannesburg be restored to its former order in a like time. There is an immensity of work before the municipal authorities, but the expressed intention is' to undertake what is to be doiro vigorously and thoroughly. As indicated there are - numbers of' idle people hanging about the Golden City. Many of these aro in actual want. It was inevitable with the conclusion of peace that the position would be such as it ia, for the terms of enrollment. in nearly all the irregular corps provided for disbaridment in Johannesburg. When, thon, some thousands of men were suddenly dumped down m the city it was impossible to at onco absorb theiii in work.. It will tako a coneulmblo period to get all sifted into, place, yet it will only bo a question' of time,, for tho limits of expansion are enormous. What makes things worse just now is tho slump ,in tho share. market. As the prospects of peace became more assured stocks rose, and on Peace Day were at tho highest: reached a, level that it was supposed would remain a bedrock price. Instead, however, of the rise being maintained the declaration saw stocks receetl. On tho lvand the rise and fall, of stocks means everything. Consequently the present pervading tone of tho community i-3 glumpy. Tilings are sure to come right—so say the best informed, adding, now is the time-to buy. The reason of the slump is set down to the scarcity of Kaffir labour. A serious problem is before the mines to secure workers. The recruiting'that is going on does not koep pace with those' that 'are leaving. White labour is being sought after, but the highest wage that can be given will hardly keep body and soul together.' Tho mines, indeed, cannot pay white labour and bo remunerative. The war is responsible for, in a measure, making the Kaffir labourer dissatisfied with his let. "While hostilities lasted those attached to tho army not only received far more money than they were accustomed to, but imbued exalted ideas of their own importance. The army hangerson them are disinclined to resume their normal place; more than this, they spread dissatisfaction among their .fellow?. It is coming to be recognised we are not likely to manage the blacks as well as did the Boers.

All things considered, it would lie im-' wise, I think, for anyone except with conKidmblo capital to make a precipitate do-' i° n With accommodation at -m i living 13 very expensive. Skilled labourers even, for the time being, find it hard to get a start. ( "Whether it is so or not in New Zealand— for it must be said the thirst for tho gore of our enemy was very much stronger with you, especially among tho street-corner generals ami those of that ilk, than it over was with the fighters in tho field.—the revulsion towards tho Boers is most remarkable, Om- soldiers ami those thev fought against fraternise freely, and fight their battles o'er again. in relating the different experiences they went through. All along the line tho resolve appeaw to be to treat tho burghers of the extinct Republics ag friends and brothers. This augurs well for tho unification of this part of the Empire. In the scramble for places when peace came,a few of the plums were allotted Xew /oalamlers. .Air Hector Rollcaton, ton of tho Hon. A\. Rolleston, who first came to Africa with the Lonrth Contingent, in which he rose to ho lieutenant, and returning got a captaincy in a local corps, has been appointed magistrate for Lichtenbmg, a post carrying a salary of £1300 pur annum. I'he Lichtenburg district is a v"ry fine one, and it is there De la Rey has his home. Though Mr Rolleston has had no legal training, he has tho abilities that go to ma.;e an excellent judge. Another from the colony that has fallen on his feet is Mr Loo Northeroft. for many years editor of the West Coast Times. He is now secretary to the Government Land Department, Johannesburg. Mr Norfhcroft has not been long in South Africa. Probably letters of his on the land question brought him iaito notice, '

When I last heard, Lieutenant Dan A. Hickey was stili un inniat-o of Harrismith Hospital. Shot 'through both logs close to the kneo, the injuries lie received will, it ia feared, leave him a .permanent cripple— one leg will be some inches shorter thai the other. . Probably no volunteer that left New Zealand has seen more fi'gty than Hickey, and certainly very few as much. I dare say (ho wounded lieutenant did not look to gain higher rank than ho enjoys, yet it is galling to his old comrades to find others with far less service and deficient jn the Eoldierly qualities lie possesses, starting, too, below him, taking military precedence. Tlie reward for merit has Iwen quite secondary in New Zealand contingeuta, compared with that .given for political toadyism and sycophancy. A step in •rank would, of course, be everything to Hickey, now that he may have to depend 011 his pension. Mr Harm all Reeves, who cftme across in the troopship Norfolk with tho Tenth Contingcait, is still at the port nf disembarkation. He has not been altogether idle while ill Durban, but hopes to get into the hurlyburly of the Golden City ore lung. Mr W. Mendehon, of Tomuka, so well known in athletic circles, is also in Dnrbr.n, awaiting tho withdrawal of permit restrictions to get to the Raiul.

W. A. Bowling (Duiiedin), late ot the Fourth Contingent, after serving some time in the police (ohm has got an appointment in the Railway Department. Tho other day I came across Mr MfttitKoinerv, formerly of the Telegraph Office, Dunedin, and who came over as a riuai'tprliiaster in the Tenth Contingent. He (ells me he has joined the telegraph service in this country, and will likely be quartered at Pretoria. Another Otatfo 'bov. also a Tenth Contingent man, Sergeant-major A. West, got his discharge here, and is thinking of going to Iluluwayo. ! Lieutenant Edward Saunders, of the Eighth Ccmtingcnt, is making a trip to England, but comes back to this country to settle.

Captain Heaton Rhodes, M.H.R., whose regiment returned to tho colony in tlie "Britannic, is waiting here to join Mrs Rhodes at the Cape on her way home from England. While here the member for Kllesmere is interesting himself in the settlement of New Zeolandors cm the land. Among the officers with present headquarters in Johannesburg is Major Madooki. the hero of New Zes'?.ud Hill. His many friends in tho colony will bo glad to learn he is very fit and well.

Mr Pat Fitzhcrbcrt. an ex-High School boy, a scion of the well-known Hutt family, <son of Mr. H. S. Fitzherbert, and who reached Africa as a soldier, ha? a good appointment here in the office of a leading firm of solicitors.

Notwithstanding the execrable roadways in and around Johannesburg quite a number of motor cars—the double-seated cars such as are in rogue in Paris and Londonare to lie soeii dashing about tho place. One of the finest is that of the ex-New Zealander, Mr George Hutchison. His motor is capable of attaining a speed of 40 miles per hour, hut such a pace is not permissible under present conditions. Mr Charles Peake, formerly of Dunedin, who was in the Eighth Regiment, is now bookkeeper in a big soft goods establishment here.

Two ex-contingenters, Messrs John Williams and Macklin, both from Southern •New Zealand, have set' ltn in the livery stable business here, and are doing well. Prohably no junior officer—certainly no colonial officer—made such rapid stridos in the military profession during the past war as the Port Chalmers boy—Arthur Bauchop. It is worth calling to mind, when the Fourth Contingent was being equipped and'got into shape for servico 'at Forbnry Park, how many and long were the controversies that aroee as to tho officering of the regiment. While it was generally allowed most of the appointments mado wore exceptional and comparatively free from the malign influences that marked the granting of commissions in later contingents, there was a feeling that one or two of the subalterns were lacking in the exparience of men and things that was requisite in those designed to command. And young Bauchop was as often as not cited as wanting in the respect named. But if some deeply interested in tho contingent had misgivings on this toore the men in the ranks soon learned to have faith in the Port Chalmers lieutenant; on the troopship and after Africa was reached he was marked as being most assiduous in attention to his duties, and carried them out, too, in the ploasantost manner. Long- before tho regiment got into action Bauchon was not only popular with his men, but was regarded as one of tho most efficient officers on the staff. When tho real test came his worth was demonstrated. Ho distinguished himself in the very first engagement—that unfortunate engagement that- deprived the Otago half of the Fourth of both its squadron leaders. By common consent f«icolson, who had long held commissioned rank, was named for one of the captaincies, but there was come rivalry as to who 'should fill tho other (vacancy. This' was soon settled when Colonel (then major) Davies took over command. The colonel called together his officers, and inquiring from each the date of their commission, ho announced Arthur Bauchop to lie acting-captain. There was no beating about the bush: the business was over and' done with iii two minutes. A J odes t ln counsel, but impetuous .in tho field, Bauchop took many chances, and was lucky, perhaps, to get out on occasions. A dashing leader he proved, and with experience came discretion. Volunteering for further service when reliefs came for the Fourth Contingent, he got his majority in the Seventh. An uninterrupted run of good service and succcss gained him a further step With the peace promotions, an additional mark of favour- being shown in his beinw v?" 1 , 6 ' , Gom P anio 'i of tho Order of St. Michael and St. Go orgs. It may be that. iSaucnop would have preferred a purely military distinction, yet there is no need for juoito wear that, the rising from lieutenant to lieutenant-colonel suflicientlv dc-monstrat-lncr that his military ability is of the highest order Port Chalmers and Otago is and should be proud of Arthur Bauclioo. 1