BETTER STAY AT HOME.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 441, 15 April 1890, Page 2

BETTER STAY AT HOME.

Every letter from South Africa now contains news of a nature so gloomy that few people of sense would care to take the risks that would face them if they tried, as so many have done, whether they could improve their lot in life by making for Johannesburg. Mr J. Roberts, commission agent of Napier, has (says the News) received a letter from his brother, Mr S. Roberts, formerly of Napier, but now located at Durban. In the communication he asserts that New Zealanders are wise in remaining where they are for at present the outlook there is very dull. Over speculation, the floating of bogus companies, and a flat market have brought things to a very bad state in Johannesburg. They feared a crisis daily. Many of the Rand firms are having their shipments sold at Durban instead of forwarding them on. Scores of people have left the Golden City, and as far as they in Durban can see, there was going to be a big smash up, and the sooner the better, he thought, for then they should have everything on a sounder basis. There was no doubt whatever, that the principal cause of the existing state of things was bad management of the mining companies and the flotation of bogus concerns. That this state of things would last long they did not believe, as the gold was there, and what was needed was men who understood mining thoroughly to manage the companies. An Australian miner had written to the press there asserting that some Australian mines that he knew paid handsome dividends on less results, and this notwithstanding the fact that white labor was engaged, and there was very little differ enoe in the cost of haulage. There was no doubt about it but that when the mines there were properly managed things would go ahead again by leaps and bounds. The railways were being carried on from there to Harrismith, Orange Free State, to the Transvaal Border, and the Cape railway to Bloemfontein. These works gave rise to the employment of a large number of men. Artizans are still in demand and wages keep up. Carpenters are now wanted at a place called Newcastle, the wages being 15s per day, and bricklayers were wanted in town, the rate of wages being the same. Tradesmen had nothing to tear in going there as there was plenty ot work in the country.