BRITAIN'S NEW COLONY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11506, 30 September 1915, Page 8

BRITAIN'S NEW COLONY.

VALUE OF SOUTH-WEST AFRICA, j The cnniuro of German South-West, Africa hj;- f»ir«n ri c o to a nam mi curiosity as to whal Krnpire'.s now colony is likely to lie worth. Tim Joha.nne.sburg cor re pomlrnt of iho " T>aily T.lognipb im<->rviiuv.>(| j)j William ..Mac'lnii'ilfl. the edit"!' ot tin- j •' Agricultural -Journal,' 1 who ytvar j a.n;o jimnmvrrj through German ' \\>M, Ai'rii-ii lor the puryoM- of sti:dy- ' ing irs <iq;i-l'.-ulrural pokmriaUu-r-s. 11 is opinions o;i Iho r-I;t,ssincalion of tin? different farmim'. belts may therefore be I of interest at ilie present moment. The j V'rotectora to eons bis of 322.100 square mi Irs.' more than six times tlm sizo ot England. or a. little larger than the combined area, of th« ('ape and \ar-al .Province*. T)r WJacdonaid suggested some time ago- that the now province should be renamed Botlmlaml, in honour of tho South African s.oldier-T're-mier. British South-West Africa is made Tip of three agricultural zones or farming belts. The southern zone extends from the Orange River to Kehobotb ; the central zone rims from Rehoboth to Omaruru; while the northern zone extends from Omaruru to the border of Amboland and Angola. In Jibe first the rainfall averages 7in. Here i* found a groat variety of .soil, but much of a brackish alkaline nature. Tho dominant grass is tho Bushman, grass, which, however, is inclined to be thin and patchy, owing to the severe droughts which prevail. Nevertheless, there are numerous fodder and .salt) bush's which stock feed upon. In tho Kalahari region the sweet teamina melon is found. In the central zone the rainfall averages about lfiin. This country, which is similar in bash and high veldt lands to the Transvaal, is well supplied with rich, sweet grass, and valuaolo native bushes. The most elevated portion of the colony is in this zone, which is excellent alike for cattle, sheep and horses. In the northern zoiie tho rainfall varies from 20in to 27m. _ The eastern portion of this belt consists of flat, loamy plains, specially suited for agricultural operations, while in the iorth-ea torn part, which extends into Rhodssia, there are good rains and much grass. This region is eminently suited for semi-trop : eal culture. Asked about W a Irish Bay. Swakopmund and Lnid-eritz Bay, as calling places for Cup© steamers, Dr Macdonald replied Walfish Bay, one of the finest harbours in the world, is destined in the near future to become a greater port than Durban. Its growth ut> to tho present has been retarded bv the fact that the Germans have tried hard and have succeeded in stifling its development, spending thousands of pounds sterling upon Swakonmund. and "ot alW'ng trade to pass through Wallah Bav. Now that that is changed, Walfish Bay will become the great port and health resort for Johannesburg." Will it be long en _ Johannesburg passengers and the mails from Europe are landed at either of these places, and transported overland? ''No; it is possible now to enter the train at Johannesburg and embark at Walfish Bay for Europe. That is due to the linking uo of the railway from the Capo North-WeH with the German lines, so +hat the journev is from Johannesburg Pricska ard Upington, on the Orange River, along the border of the Kalahari I>-.sTt, to Keetmanshoop. Windhuk. Swakopmund, and finally Walfish Bay."