598 THE NATIVES IN THE LARGER TOWNS. 



Moreover, even with regard to the question of strong drink in the 

 form of joala, though a minister of religion strongly opposed to the use 

 of strong drinks— yet I feel persuaded to admit the wisdom of the depart- 

 ment in making due allowance to the non-Christian people of a few 

 gallons of light Kaffir beer, which acts as a safety valve to their strong 

 propensity to strong drink. 



In a word, everything made by the department for my Native people 

 in Durban has entirely given me much satisfaction and true confidence 

 in the department. 



But this opinion must not be taken to alter the fact that even 

 in Durban the financial difficulty has not admitted of more than 

 the fring-e of the Native housing problem being touched. Onlv 

 i,ooo Natives are accommodated in the location, and the Native 

 population of the borough is 25,000 souls. 



To all who examine the present state of affairs the conviction 

 will be borne home that if only the necessary funds were forth- 

 coming-, the Natives in the towns could be housed under conditions 

 which would provide them with an interest in their surroundings, 

 and a growing sense of self-respect at once uplifting to themselves, 

 and beneficial to the Europeans in minimising occasions of race 

 conflict, and the undesirable contact of the lowest of both races. 



Work, which has been mentioned as one of the three out- 

 standing things required of the Natives by our town legislation, 

 has not yet become with them a habit of voluntary industry--, or it 

 would not be necessary constantly to enforce by-laws against the 

 idle and vagrant class. 



The progress of the Native here compared with that of the 

 negro in America will be hampered through his being brought 

 only temporarily under civilising influences, the great part of his 

 life being that of a barbarian at his kraal. We shall have failed 

 to give the Native the best out of his sojourning in the towns if 

 we do not inculcate by precept and practice these simple lessons : 

 that his attachment to work will determine the measure of his 

 progress in life, that his work must therefore be more continuous, 

 and that education, intelligence and attention to his employers' 

 interests are factors which will make for his own advancement. 



There are things that he must unlearn, too. Foremost among 

 these is polygamy, which, with its elaborate customs and expen- 

 sive menage, constitute so great a tax on the time and money of 

 the Native wage-earner that he finds himself in an impossible 

 position, though unable to define the immediate cause. He is not 

 yet ready to accept a prohibitive law, and he will learn by only a 

 slow process that polygamy is an economic impossibility. 



A progressive influence in the direction of the abolition of 

 polyeamv, and the conversion of Native industry to more profit- 

 able ends, can be exercised by every Town Council and com- 

 munity, if only we can establish conditions in the towns favour- 

 able to the adoption of a civilised mode of living by the Natives. 



These conditions should be such as will ensure that the 

 Natives are reasonably satisfied that they are inspired with im- 

 proving ideals of life. and. through being able to make ends meet, 

 are becoming self-reliant workers. 



