PROBLEMS OF AFRICA

Waipa Post, Volume 32, Issue 1925, 23 October 1926, Page 8

PROBLEMS OF AFRICA

WORK OF MISSIONS.

In Belgium last' month a mis-, sionary conference" "met represnting the! mission's'workfing in. different parts of Africa. A special number of the International Review of Missions for July embodies a series of articles introducing problems under discussion. Since the days of Livingstone and Mackenzie the missions of Africa have taken a very actßve part in all socfial anil political activities affecting the! welfare of the native, so that this African number is a useful sidelight on the chief concerns of the many •Governments which rule Africa. Mr Eli Aflegret writes of French Morocco. The French have never ralised the colour question at all, he says, and cheerfully serve under natives of ability in,'the army or Govrnment service. He claims a strong straiin of idealism for French administration, 'wli!ic3a at present is actively concerned with education and public health. M." Henri Anet writes from the Belgian standpoint, emphasising the attempts ni£t;le to arrest the depopulation of Central Africa. Two other articles, one by Mr T. H .OlUham on : "Health and Population," another by Dr Lerrigo on the "Ministry of Health and Welfare Work," deall with the aspects of the .spread of this kind of enlightenment through the contlineiit. Three articles written from three different standpoints review the question of the relation of black to white in South Africa. The wblite race in the. part of the continent is determined to maintain its pre-eminence. Most white people occupy positions of management and isupe<rvfision but some have not the capacity for them. In order to protect these "poor whites" from Indian and native competition recently introduced 'legislation restricts certain trades and occupations to the whites. In the provinces of South Africa there are wide differences of policy towards the natives. Cape Colonlly grants them the fuU franchise, while there are repressive tendencies in 'the Transvaal. In Natal the wfhites are anxious to prevent the Indians entering certain trades, and they propose to- restrict Indian ownership of land to certalin regions. This series of heated controversies is calmly antl clearly treatedin articles written by both'white and native contributors. The tendency of the naitive ..churches to form separate organisations is regretfully noted, but freedom of movement is advocated. Il&'lam in Africa is treated by French, German, andEnglish writers.