COMMERCE IN MAIZE. GRAIN 499 



expected in the South African maize industry ; the consumption chap. 

 of maize on the farms, and eventually also in local manufactures, XIL 

 will steadily increase. 



472. The Mines Trade. — With regard to the quantities of 

 maize, maize meal, and other maize products such as samp, 

 which are consumed on the mines of South Africa, actual 

 statistics seem to be lacking. 



The method of feeding differs on different mines ; some 

 buy the rations for the " boys," while others prefer to let 

 them buy their own, on the ground that they are less likely to 

 waste it. The amount given in rations also differs, some 

 mines allowing as much as 3 lbs. of mielie meal a day for 

 each boy, and some giving less than 2 lbs., making up the 

 difference with other foodstuffs. 



According to the Transvaal Leader of 21 November, 1908, 

 the local consumption of maize in " Johannesburg " was then 

 calculated to be " at a low estimate" 70,000 muids per month, 

 or 840,000 muids per annum ; but it is not certain how much 

 of the Witwatersrand was included in this calculation, and it 

 would also include the maize used for feeding draught animals, 

 which is no inconsiderable item. The writer is informed, how- 

 ever, by one of the large controllers of mines on the Rand, 

 that 2 lbs. of maize meal a day, for each native, may be 

 considered a good average figure as a basis of calculation. 

 According to the 191 1 census there were then employed in 

 the mines of the Union 261,835 natives. Two pounds of meal a 

 day is equivalent to 3^65 muids a year for each native, or a 

 total of 955,69775 muids of mielie meal per annum. Allow- 

 ing 8 per cent for ordinary loss in milling, this represents 

 1,038,801 muids of maize consumed each year by the natives 

 on the mines. 



473. Consumption on the Kimberley Mines. — Tables LXIII 

 and LXIV show the amount of maize consumed by the 

 properties of the De Beers Consolidated Mines, in the year 

 1912. With an average monthly population of 14,306 

 natives and 1,173 draught animals, there is a total con- 

 sumption of 



15,396 bags of white mielie meal. 



934 „ „ samp. 

 13,025 ,, ,, yellow maize. 

 32 * 



