Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, MONDAY, JULY 19, 1926. SOUTH AFRICA.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17089, 19 July 1926, Page 6

Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, MONDAY, JULY 19, 1926. SOUTH AFRICA.

1 1 is well sometimes that we should look outside our own wonderful land with ils great potentialities for growth and settlement, its wonderful scenic beauty, and, on the whole equable climate, to learn something regarding other virile Dominions of the great Empire which looks to Britain as the Motherland. South Africa is one of these destined to become a great supplier to the world's markets, and one which, not such a very long time ago, was looked upon as a terra incognito, so far at least, as its vast, internal area is concerned. It is an undoubted fact, that South Africa offers many inducements as a land of permanent residence and settlement. The Union territory extends over an area of -173,080 square miles, about four -and-n-half times .the area of Great Britain and Ireland. Yet the white population to-day is only One and a half millions, while Hie native population within the Union is about live millions. Since about the middle of the Great War period the Union of South Africa lias made n great step forward in general progress and population, and while it is claimed I that the country has three avenues of j development; agriculture, mining and ‘ industrial, the iirst-named is the basic

industry of tlio country. The chief aim and policy of the Government, for some years has been to direct and foster agriculture, and in the main, like Australia and New Zealand, it is for agricultural and pastoral pursuits in all their varied branches, that the Union still has room for settlers. It is admitted that, by comparison with some other countries ■of the New World, South Africa’s growth has' been slow, but; acceleration lots begun in many directions. That the (dimate of South Africa makes for health is indicated by its exceedingly low death rate —under eleven per thousand—the lowest in the world, in fact, with the one single exception of New Zealand. The last twenty-live years have seen far-reaching changes in the educational system of the ['aion, and its results are already apparent. Before the war of 1899, there was practically no sort of adequate education available. Today. there are over 300,d00 children in the Union's State-aided schools. In .addition, three well equipped Universities are training students ami constantly enlarging their activities, while six other University colleges are flourishing. The University students of the Union —in proportion to the population —number far more than in Europe’s best educated countries. South Africans are now found in Universities all over the world, and are constantly to the fore in contributing to the scientific, knowledge and achievement of the world. Figures recently compiled give enlightening particulars of: the development of transport, especially internal transport by rail, and the railways of the Union are indeed an achievement which can only be- realised when one grasps what the physical features of the vast country arc. At the end of 1902 the railway mileage in South Africa totalled 4895 miles, against to-day’s mileage of 11,820. This tremendous increase of railways in little over twenty years demonstrates Sou! li Africa’s true spirit of enterprise and progress, and is dear indication of the confidence in the- great potential wealth of the country. That everything ventured lias been fully justified is held to be proved by the enormous increase of revenue in recent years. Compared .with other countries, the Union of South Africa is liberally equipped with railways, and if to the mileage already operated is added the mileage of the construction programme still to be opened for traffic, there is a decided preponderance per head of population over many other British Dominions. One, long resident in the Eastern Provinces of Cape Colony, claims that it is “a choice and noble land” and the pride of its vigorous and healthy settlors, and that, it is a “seed-plot of Empire which should be diligently tilled.” Ir is also claimed that to-day good land, well-selected is not dead: that the small holder has his market, and good transport. Certainty of water for his crop is a second and trustworthy string to the settler’s bow. In its irrigation policy the Union Government is going ahead, and private enterprise is bv no means standing still. From every standpoint the hard-working settler, who is content to bide his time and thoroughly master local conditions before launching out for himself, can count upon a very encouraging prospect of success. There are, perhaps, as in other parts of the Empire, signs of political unrest, but those who have long-studied the country and its real problems are convinced that this will pass away and that South Africa will remain a staunch and loyal member of the great confederacy of nations oversens, in partnership with Britain.