Vol, VIII. No. 94. 
- IMPERIAL INSTITUTE JOURNAL. 
[October, 1902.] 265 
Colonies. — It is stated that the demand for labour at the Transvaal 
mines is still greater than the supply, and that managers are utilizing all the 
white labour that is available. Last August no less than 9,122 white men 
were employed, with only 2,455 stamps in operation, whereas in 1898, when 
73 mines were at work, the number was 9,476. During July and August 
there was an increase in the number of white men taken on of 1,988, 
and in the number of natives of 1,330. Recruitment of native “ boys ” 
proceeds slowly, but an impetus is anticipated now that the old system 
of payment per head is being resumed. Another important decision which 
should bring good results, is that the hammer and drill boys should in future 
be paid by piece-work. The need at Johannesburg at present is chiefly for 
men of tire artisan class, and particular note should be taken of this fact. 
If teachers, clerks, and shop assistants seek work in Johannesburg they will 
be confronted by serious difficulties, owing to the largely increased cost 
of living. 
Foreign Countries. — The deputation which was appointed by the 
National Society of Gun Workers to enquire into the methods of manu- 
facture in Belgium, and to investigate the social conditions of the people 
there, have now presented a report on their visit. From a general survey 
they conclude that the agricultural system in Belgium is one of the chief 
reasons for the success achieved by the people in commercial competitions. 
Travelling from Holland to Antwerp they did not see a square foot of land 
capable of producing that was not put to use by the tiller of the soil. 
Peasant proprietorship was the order, and, if the wages earned were smaller 
than in this country, that was more than compensated for by the advantages 
accruing from low rents and the raising of produce. Travelling from 
Harwich to Birmingham, they saw acre after acre of land capable of producing 
but lying waste and fallow. 'They frequently found gun-workers, action 
fillers, barrel fillers, and stackers, working in a little shop at the side of their 
house, to which was attached a large strip of land cultivated in the best 
possible form. Sometimes live stock was kept. Rents were low and the 
tenant might become the owner of the freehold in about fifteen years, 
but if he became the freeholder he did not pay taxes. Coming to the 
manufacturing aspect of the case they found everywhere system, order, 
cleanliness, good machinery, and a discipline that was not of an arbitrary or 
overbearing kind, but a disposition of mutuality which indicated that the 
employer and the workman felt they had responsibilities towards each other, 
and acted accordingly. The men did not appear to labour so hard as the 
worker in England laboured ; but they were more persistent and constant in 
the application of their energy, so, even if they worked more slowly, good results 
were accomplished. The technical schools are very favourably commented 
on in the report. Belgians, say the deputation, recognize the plain fact that 
merely learning to use a file is not technical education, and that science 
should be studied in its application to industry. It seemed to them that, 
while Belgian workmen did not earn so much money, and worked in many 
instances longer hours than the workmen in this country, their needs were fewer 
and their cost of living not so high. They could not, however, admire the 
Belgians for permitting the women population to work so hard as they did. 
The successful trade competition of the Belgians was not altogether due to 
low wages and long hours. That was only one aspect of the case. Better 
machinery and greater enterprise had more to do with it, as well as the 
fact that the manufacturers themselves seemed to mix with the workpeople, 
and were for the most part practical workmen. The land question also 
had to be taken into account, and the drink question played an important 
part. Concluding, the report says : — “ What is required now is for the 
employers and workmen to get together. In the face of an emergency like 
this there should be no two opinions about the necessity for absolute unity 
between capital and labour, and we firmly believe that if the employers 
would trust the men and take them into their confidence occasionally, the 
employes would be willing to work in harmony for the good of the trade, 
and help to stem the tide of loss of work resulting from the keen competition 
which exists, and, as it appears to us, the taking away of our industry by 
the Belgians.” From recently published statistics of the industrial situation 
in Belgium, it appears that out of a total of 750,000 belonging to the 
working classes, the hours of labour are under ten hours for about one- 
tenth of the number, ten hours for one-third, while the balance work ten, 
eleven, and more than eleven hours in smaller proportions. The eight 
hours day is only observed by four per cent, of the population. Excepting 
in the mines, night work is not frequent, while the proportion of long days is 
considerably more among women than among men, and occurs chiefly in 
textile industries. A little over a fourth of the population gains less than 
2 f. (is. 7d.) per day, and about a fourth 2 f. to 3 f. per day. A fourth earns 
3.50 f. to 4.50 k per day. The foregoing scale applies to the male popula- 
tion ; the wage-earning power of women is considerably less, nearly one- 
half of the female population receiving less than 1.50 k per day, while 
only 395 women in the total population are tabulated as receiving from 
4 f. to 4.50 f. 
The report on the trade of the United States for the year ending June 
last, by Mr. Bell, the British commercial agent, contains some interesting 
information with regard to strikes and wages. Strikes during the last twelve 
months have only slightly affected the prosperity of the country. As a rule 
those that have occurred have been of short duration, the employers in 
most cases acceding to the demands of the men rather than lose their share 
of the large profits being made. The most notable case, perhaps, was that of 
the New England textile workers, when 10,000 of them obtained an increase 
of 10 per cent, in their wages, this following upon other considerable increases 
during the last two years. The United States Steel Corporation caused 
considerable sensation when, a short time ago, the working men in all 
branches of the steel works had their wages increased without having asked 
for it. Present prosperity, of course, fully justifies these increases in wages. 
Not only are the manufacturers and transportation companies making large 
profits, but the cost of living has gone up enormously during the last few 
years. Wage-earners were never before so fully occupied nor so well paid. 
Probably a number of factors have contributed to this result. While it is 
true, no doubt, that prices have advanced faster than wages, the hardship to 
the wage-earner has unquestionably been in considerable measure off-set by 
steadier employment. For some years past the industries of the nation, as a 
whole, have been kept so busy as to necessitate the steady employment of a 
maximum working force. In some former periods, when the disparity 
between prices and wages was less striking than it is to-day, such was not the 
case. At such times the wage-earner was frequently in danger of having to 
tide himself over long intervals of enforced idleness. Though a dollar then 
would at any given time procure for him more of the necessaries of life than 
it will now, he did not have the dollars coming to him to him, month after 
month, and year after year, with the regularity that has been the case in the 
last few years, 

SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT 
OF THE IMPERIAL INSTITUTE. 
♦ 
NOTES ON SPECIMENS OF SOUTH AUSTRALIAN TIMBERS. 
By Walter Gill, F.L.S., Conservator of Forests for the State of 
South Australia (Received through the Agent-General for 
South Australia), with Notes on the Working Qualities of the 
Timbers by Herbert Stone, F.L.S., Expert Referee to the 
Imperial Institute. 
1. Eucalyptus goniocalyx (F. Mueller), vernacular name “Bastard Box. 11 
References : Benth. Flor. Aust ., Vol. ill., p. 229 ; Muellers Eucalyptographia , 
First Decade ; Mueller’s Extra Tropical Plants, p. 120. 
A fair-sized tree of rather limited occurrence in South Australia, growing 
only in a stunted form on the hill tops in Flinders Range, from Wirrabara to 
Mount Remarkable, and thence as far north as Mount Brown, but attaining a 
height of 100 feet or more in better land in the valleys. An excellent timber 
is obtained from this tree, suitable for telegraph poles, fencing posts, sleepers, 
well-slabs, felloes, naves, and other wheelwright’s timber. Weight, when 
seasoned, from about 50 to 60 lb. per cubic foot. 
Working qualities. — The wood saws rather hard but freely. Grain very 
sinuous. Smell slightly vinegary when worked ; one specimen was sufficiently 
strongly scented to enable one to recognise the characteristic smell of Eucalyptus 
oil. Planes with considerable difficulty and a good surface is difficult to obtain, 
the wood being “cross-grained.” 
2. Eucalyptus rostraia (Schlecht), vernacular name “ Red Gum.” 
References : Benth. Flor. Aust., Yol. 111., p. 240 ; Mueller's Select Extra Tropical 
Plants, 145 ; Mueller’s Eucalyptographia , 4th Decade. 
Itound extensively throughout South Australia. A fine large tree of 
spreading habit, attaining frequently a height of 100 feet, but generally 
developing a large bole of from six to eight, or, in special cases, of ten feet 
in diameter at the base. The quality of the timber varies with the kind of 
“habitat.” That grown on hilly ground cannot be excelled, though somewhat 
lighter than that grown in rich moist land, and, according to situation, the 
weight per cubic foot varies from 50 to 70 lb. in seasoned timber. The colour 
is generally dark red, hence its name ; and, though sometimes hard, it is more 
easily worked than any other gum. It is admirably adapted for a great variety 
of uses, either above or under ground, or in water. As fencing posts it will 
last thirty years and even more, standing unrivalled for this purpose ; nor can 
it be excelled for piles or railway sleepers when of the best quality, as it 
resists well both the white ant and the teredo. For shipbuilding, house and 
waggon work it is well suited, and also for many minor uses, amongst which 
it may be noted that it is much preferred for bullock yokes, as it wears 
smooth without splintering. As a timber for furniture — especially veneers — 
selected pieces are admirably fitted, the mottled and wavy figure often met 
with being singularly beautiful ; when very dark in colour it frequently resembles 
the best mahogany. It also makes good blocks for street paving and an 
excellent material for parquet flooring. Single trees, when felled and converted 
into sleepers, have occasionally produced as many as 100, 220, and even 250 
sleepers of the dimensions 6 feet 6 inches by 8 inches by 4J inches. 
Working qualities. — The wood is very tough ; it saws very hard and planes 
with difficulty ; its surface bad and patchy, being cross-grained. 
3. Eucalyptus leucoxylon (Mueller), vernacular name “Blue Gum.” 
References : Benth. FI. Aust., Vol. III., p. 209 ; Mueller’s Select Extra Tropic ql 
Plants, 1 38 ; Mueller’s Eucalyptographia, 1st Decade. 
Found in N. S, Wales and Victoria, where it is known as the “ Ironbark tree.” 
Widely distributed throughout South Australia, attaining a height of from So to 100 
feet and a diameter of 3 to 5 feet. The timber is exceedingly strong and durable, 
generally weighing from 60 to 70 lb. per cubic toot when seasoned. It makes 
excellent naves, felloes, spokes, sleepers, posts, mining timber, well-slabs, piles and 
telegraph poles ; very useful also for purposes requiring great lateral strength. 
The colour of the timber varies from pale yellow to brown, and even pale red or 
pink in some localities, and is thus often well adapted for furniture, especially for 
parquet flooring in combination with other gum timbers. The bark, which is 
fibrous in character, affords a good material for paper. 
Working qualities. — This wood saws hard but not harshly; it has little or 
no smell. It planes rather easily ; its surface rather patchy and cross-grained, 
but not so much so as No. 2, as the grain is not so sinuous. 
4 . Eucalyptus hemiphloia (F, Mueller), vernacular name “Box Gum.” 
References : Benth. FI. Aust., Vol. ill., p. 216 ; Mueller’s Extra Tropical Plants , 
121 ; Mueller’s Eucalyptographia , 5th Decade. 
A fair-sized tree, often of spreading habits, from 50 to 90 feet high and 3 or 4 
feet in diameter at base, when growing on hilly country in South Australia. Found 
also in Victoria and N. S. Wales, where it reaches larger dimensions in more 
humid districts. In South Australia it occurs principally on the Flinder’s Range, 
and is easily distinguishable from other gums by its persistent bark on trunk and 
