AFRICAN TREASURES By William P. Taylor
In African Treasures (John Long, 12s. 6d.) Mr. Taylor has produced a book that is pleasant to read and informative without being dull. His historical sketch is light, but accurate ; and as a background to the mineral development of South Africa, in which the author played an important part, he portrays with no little skill the temperamental and economic clash of the rival white races and the contribution which the Bantu have made, and must continue to make, to that develop- ment. He has the vision to recognize their future importance to the history of South Africa and utters a warning that " a consciousness of unity embracing all the Bantu tribes from British Kaftraria to the Equator lies not far below the surface. A development of general antagonism between White and Black might very easily transform it into an organic unity, with disastrous consequences for white South Africa." He therefore deplores the existence of the Colour-Bar with its unjust economic discrimination, and reminds us that " the trump card in the Native's hand is that the white South African cannot dispense with his manual labour," while " black South Africa in the mass does not consider the white South African in any way indispensable." Again, he writes, that it would require comparatively little provocation to unite them against the white civilization. . . . The remedy, however, is a simple one : it is merely a practical recognition of the Native as one of the most valuable assets of South Africa, entitled to serve the country, which is his as well as ours, according to the measure of his ability, and to receive rewards according to the measure of his service."
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