TPIE NATIVES IN THE LARGER TOWNS. 607 



An educated Native in a letter to the Ilanga lase Natal, dis- 

 cussing the comparative recreational advantages of the location 

 over those of the employer's yard, says : " The European does not 

 even wish to hear you singing the tonic sol-fa in his yard. He 

 does not wish you to stamp mealies and make a noise there." 



Native Literature. 



The range of literature available to them is not extensive, 

 and excepting in the case of the Basutos,, they cannot enjoy the 

 relaxation afforded by the reading of works of fiction. A Basuto 

 writer, Thomas Mofolo, was the first to issue a novel, " Moete oa 

 Bochabela '" (The Visitor from the East), and he has since issued 

 a second, " Pitseng " (Into the Pot). 



He has been followed by the Rev. E. Sehoete with " Raphe- 

 pheng " (The Father of the Scorpion). Another writer, Sekese, 

 has made a more serious contribution to Sesutho literature in 

 " Maele a Basuto" (Proverbs of the Basuto). 



The backwardness of the Zulus in becoming authors is not 

 due to want of ability. I was privileged some time ago to read 

 an appeal printed in Latin and Zulu addressed to His Holiness the 

 Pope by three Zulus on the subject of the mistranslation of the 

 present Zulu version of the Bible, and I readily acknowledge that 

 the whole matter contained in the appeal was excellently expressed, 

 and arranged. 



The Chinese labourers, when employed on the Rand, displayed 

 great interest in play-acting as a means of recreation in the com- 

 pounds, and it may well be that this branch of amusement will in 

 time provide a variation from the concerts and tea-meetings which 

 form the customary programme of the Native's evening entertain- 

 ment. 



DTsraeli tells us that " the origin of the theatrical representa- 

 tions of the ancients has been traced back to a Greek stroller 

 singing in a cart to the honour of .Bacchus." And if our immense 

 patronage of the theatre sprung from such a humble beginning, 

 the taste of the Natives with the more attractive material now 

 available will surely grow apace. 



Mr. S. W. B. Shepstone. a grandson of the late Sir Theophilus 

 Shepstone, has written a play for the entertainment of working 

 Natives, and it is hoped that the first production will take place in 

 Durban. The licensing of Natives to carry on whatever trading 

 is done in Native markets and to act as caterers for their fellows 

 should be encouraged. 



In this way the reasonable am'bition of Native tailors, barbers, 

 shoemakers, booksellers, tobacconists, etc., can be achieved among 

 members of their ov/n race, and what some American writers have 

 called " group economy " may be gradually brought about. 



A Growing Need. 



There is a growing need on the part of the better class 

 Natives for accommodation of a kind superior to that ordinarily 

 available to them in the locations or hostels. Provision should be 

 made in the new Bill for the establishment in location areas of 



