A NEW TOM TIDDLER'S GROUND.

Timaru Herald, Volume L, Issue 4742, 13 January 1890, Page 4

A NEW TOM TIDDLER'S GROUND.

Whenever the egis of British influence is extended over a country, it means, sooner or later, annexation. The latest to come under the sheltering wing of Britain is that tract of country in southern central Africa immediately south of the Zambesi, known to those familiar with the "Dark Continent" as Matabililand. Matabu— and embraces Mashunaland, by right of conquest, and although some travellers give the _U -bantu as an independent tribe it will be found tbat as such they will be an unconsidered factor in the future arrangements with the latest edition of " John Com. pany." A number of wealthy and influential pereons have combined with a view of securing what may approach perilously near a monopoly of the advantages offered by Matabililand.and under the name of the Central African Company have, we believe, already secured charter rights ; the said charter being in course of construction, and will probably be presented to Parliament for ratification during the forthcoming session. Booghly speaking, MatabiH lan d bas an area approximate to that of the whole of France, and is bounded on the north by the Zambesi, on the west by the 20th parallel of longitude, and eastward reaches the 31st deg. east longitude, which point marks the western boundary of Portugal's coast possessions j southward the Limpopo river divides it from the Transvaal. At the present time this new Canaan is dominated over by a chief — one _ obengula — who from infancy has been familiar with white men, mainly represented by English traders, who for the past twenty years have traded store goods in return for ivory, skins, and feathers. It is agreed by all who have visited these somewhat remote regions tbat indications exist whioh warrant the belief that gold will be found in galore, more particularly iD the Mashuna districts. Never a traveller penetrated the country but hss returned to talk in glowing terms of anticipation cf its mineral wealth. For some years past speculation hns been rife as to whether this Mashuna country is not the veritable land of Ophir, from whence King Solomon brought his gold and silver. Tbere is much in the assertion that is worthy of attention — similarity of names, old workings, and many other evidences ; and those who care to look up " Bruce'a Travels" aud road what ho has to say in favour of the theory will no doubt find themselves prejudiced in ita favour. In Matab— Uand proper there are many drawbacks, fever not being the least among them. The country is iufested with lions, and at first blush will not strike the young odveh. turer, unless of sporting proclivities, as being a possible Utopia. Mashunaland, on the contrary, is freer from climatic difficulty, the land is much higher, some 6000 feet above tea-level j rivers and streams abound, the soil is in consequence muoh more fertile, asd rarer fact than any, the grass lives green till late in the year. There are splondid forests, snd most of the streams have been successfolly exploited for gold. The agricultural parts of Mashunaland hold out magnificent promise to tbe farmer rf the future, and its auriferous deposits ihould be developed by the individual digger, u of old. A population such as flocked to Bendigo and Bsliarat, in Australia, forty /ears since, would do more to doveiop the general resources and real wealth of Maihunaland, than treble the amount of costly maohinery sent thither by company-mongers. A large working population of diggers creates i greater demand for agricultural supplies than the scant-handed operations required

by maohinery. A concession of oonntrj | aavours of monopoly, and monopoly is favourable only to the capitalist, who, like tho gallant in the old eong, " Loves and he rides away," leaving but acant bloaßings to the real owners of the land over which he has exercised privileges only to benefit himßelf.