The most interesting part of Lord Selborne's speech at the
opening of the Transvaal Parliament on Monday was that in which he referred to the condition of the mining industry. He noted that while 31,157 Chinese coolies had already been repatriated, the supply of native labour con- tinued to be more than sufficient, and the mining industry was now on a sounder basis than it had ever been before. The satisfactory nature of the compromise arrived at over the Asiatic immigration question was proved by the fact that practically the whole Asiatic community, numbering 9,072 persons, had now voluntarily registered themselves. Lord Selborne went on to say that there were indications that more prosperous times were slowly but surely coming. The Colony's sound financial position justified the large pro- gramme of public works which he foreshadowed. Finally, he declared that the Government's Chinese repatriation policy had been "a complete success." The output of the mines was increasing and the working costs were decreasing. Lord Selborne's frank admission is all the more significant as he was a supporter of the Chinese labour experiment.
