428 THE NATIVE AND AGRICULTURE. 



largely introduced, the soil is adapted to intensive culture and 

 dairy-farming. The system of small holdings on individual 

 tenure, giving greater security than the mere right of usufruct 

 of native law, has been found practicable, and, says Mr. Saner, 

 "long experience has demonstrated its advantages." 1 On the 

 other hand, to quote again from Sir W. Beaumont, "experience 

 has (also) shown that it is not desirable to force individual tenure 

 •on natives who are not sufficiently advanced to appreciate it, and 

 who are not willing to accept it." 2 Here a study of tribal 

 character and proclivities is requisite and a careful distinction 

 made between Kaffir, Fingo, and Zulu. 



The fostering of closer settlement of grantees holding indi- 

 vidual title is a course very suitable to the circumstances of the 

 Transkei and Natal, especially if the minor chief or headman of 

 the village is carefully appointed and controlled — "of the blood- 

 royal," if possible. As Mr. Thomas says, "the archaic Kaffir is 

 the best all-round cultivator of South Africa," 3 and has a future 

 before him as "peasant proprietor." But the wisdom of extending 

 the system to the Bechuana of the plains, and the Basuto of the 

 mountains seems questionable. Let them adhere to their tribal 

 •communal tenure. 



Whatever system our anxious rulers intend to adopt with 

 regard to the native they must accept the fact that his aptitudes 

 are mainly pastoral or cultural. A few Bechuana or Thonga clans 

 may effect a trade with their rude manufactures; a few Fingos 

 may as usurers and achieve the financial ruin of their hereditary 

 foes, the Gcalekas; but the large majority of the Bantu race cling 

 to the soil, adscripti glebae. 



In industries and manufactures the native cannot compete 

 with the European except by receiving a wage lowered to the 

 detriment of the white man, whose superior skill has to satisfy a 

 higher standard of comfort. Where competition exists it may be 

 suspected that "Gilbart's Law" with regard to currency obtains 

 here with regard to labour. The inferior article drives out the 

 superior. We see this when the Bantu press into the cities and 

 mines, just as in the case of the Chinese or Indian : only with the 

 Oriental the disparity in intelligence is not so great. "You must 

 counteract," said Mr. W. P. Schreiner, "this most dangerous 

 tendency on the part of the native to get away from agricultural 

 life. He becomes spoilt by high wages in mines and towns, and 

 often dissipates the money and gets away from his environment of 

 life and becomes a waster." 4 



The Government is probably acting wisely in extending 

 gradually the system of local self-government instituted by the 



1 Hon. J. W. Sauer, Hansard, 1913, col. 2542. 



2 Sir W. Beaumont, "Minute to Minister of Native Affairs," 

 Union Government, 25-16, par. 48 (p. 7.). 



3 O. Thomas, "Agricultural and Pastoral Prospects of South 

 Africa," pp. 15-17. On the other hand Dudley Kidd says. "The 

 native is merely the worst cultivator of soil in the world." 



4 W. P. Schreiner, Evidence before Native Land Commission, 

 Union Government, 19-16, Vol. II. 



