104 PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS SECTION E. 



was 60 per cent., but meantime the cost of living had increased 

 to 105 per cent., so that the Natives were worse off by 40 per cent. 

 Women were worse off than men, their wage having increased from 

 1/6 per diem in 1914 to 21- in 1920. The wages of skilled Native 

 workers had increased with that of their European fellow-workers 

 by something like 120 per cent. The Commission estimated that 

 the daily cost of foodstuffs for a single Native in 1920 was 2/7^ 

 out of a wage of 4/-, thus leaving a man 1/4| a day, or 33/- per 

 month, for rent, clothing, etc. Rhodesia is the only other part 

 of South Africa for which I have been able to obtain figures, and 

 here an investigation undertaken by the Cost of Living Commission 

 showed that in 1920 wages had increased by 13 per cent, on mines, 

 21 per cent, on farms, and 21 per cent, in domestic service, whereas 

 the increase in the cost of ten articles generally purchased by 

 Natives was 165 per cent. 



With regard to taxation there has been little or no change 

 since Union until this year, when the Transvaal imposed a poll 

 tax on all male persons which has added 10/- per annum to the 

 burden of the already most heavily taxed Native in the Union . 

 The rates of taxation vary in the different Provinces, a practice 

 which causes considerable dissatisfaction among Natives who do 

 not understand the differences between urban, Provincial, and 

 Union taxation, so that it seems certain that some uniform and 

 equitable system must be devised. Before this can be done it 

 would be well to have the assistance of some specialist in economics 

 on the following and similar points: — 



1. Communal and individual land tenure considered from 



an economic standpoint. 



2. A soil survey and a sanitary survey of the areas set 



aside for Native occupation under the Land Act. 



3. The economic status of Native farmers with special 



reference to the Native sugar planters of Natal. 



4. A Land Bank for Natives. 



5. The rates of wages and their relation to the cost of 



living for Natives in the following occupations : 

 domestic servant, farm labourers, coal and gold 

 miners, teachers, clergymen, interpreters. 



6. Native professional and industrial organisations. 



7. The operation of the colour bar in the European 



trades unions. 



8. A consolidated measure of taxation for the Natives' 



throughout the Union. 



9. The apportionment of revenue derived from Natives 



among the several services rendered to them. 



Psychological Considerations. 



We are merely at the threshold of our knowledge with regard 

 to the psychology of the Bantu, and the want of usable facts in 

 this connection is hampering our legislation and administration at 



