DOES IT PAY TO EDUCATE THE NATIVES ^43 



Question 3. — Wliat occupations do male educated natives 

 follow, who proceed to the larger towns? One hundred and 

 eighty-five students were looked up in Durban, Johannesburg, 

 and elsewhere. The numbers and percentages following the chief 

 employments were as follows : — 



The large percentage of boys taking up clerical work is 

 explained by the facts that a clerical position is the gentlemanly 

 kind of occupation which the native likes ; it is the education 

 which is the most easily given, because it is the cheapest ; the 

 wages offered are fairly high ; and finally there are many openings, 

 particularly in Johannesburg, for trustworthy boys who can read 

 and write to act as checkers, time-keepers, etc., on the mines. 

 Bootmaking and saddlery is an occupation for which the native 

 seems to have special aptitude, and again is one that can be taught 

 easily. Large numbers of educated boys are now being employed 

 in the stores, for delivery of goods — much to the relief of passers- 

 by, who are not so frequently being accosted to read addresses on 

 parcels and letters. 



Question 4. — How long do these natives working in towns 

 stay with their employers? What is the length of their vacations? 

 What wages do they get? 



The answers to these questions will come as a surprise to 

 those who imagine that a native cannot work longer than six 

 months at a time, to be followed by six months of rest. Here 

 are the figures : They are not quite complete, as I failed to 

 enquire, in some instances, but the percentages would probably 

 not be affected materially, as the above covers 171 cases out of 

 the 185. 



Length of Service — 



Under one year 28 



1 to 2 years 35 



2 to 3 „ 21 



3 to 4 „ 24 



4 to 5 , 13 



5 to 7 „ 17 



7 to 10 , 15 



10 to 15 10 



15 to 20 5 



21 years i 



22 „ I 



28 „ I 



171 



