THE LABOUR PROBLEM 115 
lamps, rice, tinned stuff of every variety, salt, sugar, 
blankets, dress material, muslin for mosquitoes, Gillette 
safety razors (!), collars and ties in rich variety, blouses 
and chemises trimmed with lace, corsets, elegant shoes, 
openwork stockings, gramophones, concertinas, and 
fancy articles of all sorts. Among the last named was 
a plate, resting on a stand, of which there were several 
dozen. “ What is that ? ” I asked. The negro moved 
a lever in the bottom part and a little musical box at 
once began to play. “ This is my best paying article,” 
said he. “ All the women in the neighbourhood want 
one of these plates, and plague their husbands till they 
have earned enough to buy one ! ” 
It is true that taxes and new needs can make a negro 
work more than he used to, but they do not train him 
to work, or only to a small extent. They make him 
anxious for money and for enjoyment, but not reliable 
or conscientious. If he does take service anywhere, he 
only thinks how he can get most money for least work, 
and he works only so long as his employer is near. Just 
recently I engaged some day labourers to build a new 
hut for the hospital, but when I came in the evening to 
see the work, nothing had been done. On the third or 
fourth day I got angry, but one of the blacks — and one 
who was by no means the worst of them — said to me : 
“ Doctor, don’t shout at us so ! It is your own fault. 
Stay here and we shall work, but if you are in the 
hospital with the sick folk, we are alone and do no- 
thing.” Now I have adopted a plan, and when I engage 
any day labourers I arrange to have two or three hours 
free. During this time I make them work till their dark 
skins glisten with sweat, and so I manage to get a certain 
amount done. 
