WHITE LABOUR AND THE TRANSVAAL GOLD. MINING INDUSTRY.
[To TED EDITOR OP TER "SPECTATOR."] Sus,—I trust you will allow me to comment briefly on your editorial note to Mr. R. Maguire's letter on the above subject which appeared in the Spectator of August 15th. Although I have considerable knowledge of the mining industry in Australia, I do not think it possible without a very elaborate investigation to compare Australian mines with those on the Witwatersrand, or to consider with any accuracy your some- what vague statement that "there are ores of a lower grade [than those in the Transvaal] worked successfully by white labour in Australia." I am, however, prepared to demonstrate that it is impossible to work even the richest mines on the Rand by white labour with a fair and reasonable profit. The question has been thoroughly considered, and a very careful estimate made—on the basis of prices in 1899—of the differ- ence in the cost of working eight Rand mines by white labour instead of black. For the purpose of this estimate it was- assumed that the white man received 12s. a day (the present rate of pay is 20s.), and that he would do twice as much work in that period as the native, an assumption, however, which has never yet been actually realised. The figures show that with white labour the reduction of profits is so considerable that in the ease of one mine a profit of about 9s. per ton was converted into a loss of about 2s. per ton; and that as regards the other seven mines, the profits were reduced so low that to work them on these lines would be more a matter of philanthropy than of legitimate business. I do not know what evidence you possess for your statement that the capitalist in South Africa prefers black labour to white because he dreads the white man's vote. Whether this is true or not, it is evident that the disastrous results of the domination of the Labour vote in Australia are not likely to encourage other Colonists to place their necks under the same yoke. Under the influence of this vote skilled labour is pre- vented from coming to the continent, the birth-rate has decreased alarmingly, Government expenditure has been wasteful and extravagant, the sugar industry in Queensland has received a severe check, while the shadow of a great fear hemp over Victoria that her forthcoming loan will not be received here at any price. Many and various are the imaginary crimes imputed to the African capitalist, but at least he should be credited with sufficient intelligence to observe and digest the obvious lessons of contemporary Colonial history.—I am, Sir, &c., G. SEYMOUR FORT. 2 Little Stanhope Street, Mayfair.
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