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THE BRTTISH EMPIRE: — PROVINCE OF NATAL

PROVINCE OF NATAL.

Constitution and Government. —Natal, which had heen annexed to Cape Colony in 1844, was placed under separate government in 1845, and under charter of July 15, 1856, was erected into a separate Colony. By this charter partially representative institutions were established, and. under' a Natal Act of 1893, assented to by Order in Council, June 26, 1893, the Colony obtained responsible government. The province of Zululand was annexed to Natal on December 30, 1897. The districts of Vryheid, Utrecht and part of Wakkerstroom, formerly belonging to the Transvaal, were in January, 1903, annexed to the colony. On May 31, 1910, the Colony was merged in the Union of South Africa, becoming an original province of the Union.

The seat of provincial government in Natal is Pietermaritzburg.

Administrator. — The Hon. G. T. Plowman, C.M.G.

Area and Population. — The Province (including Zululand, 10,424 square miles) has an area of 35,291 square miles, with a seaboard of about 360 miles. The climate is sub-tropical on the coast and somewhat colder inland. It is well suited to Europeans. The Province is divided into 40 Magisterial Divisions.

The European population has more than trebled since 1879. The returns of the total population at the last four censuses were : —

Census

All Races.

Year.

Total.

I Males.

Females.

1891 . 1904 . 1911 . 1918.

543,913 1,108,754 1,194,043

, 550,631 1 564,648
 * 268,062

275,651 558,123 629,395

White.

Coloured.

25,787

50,75S 52,495

(-,2,745

Males. Females. Males. Females

21,001 40,851 45,619 59,186

242,275 493,873 512,153

254,850 517,772 583,776

The figures for 1891 exclude Zululand ; those for 1904 and 1911 in- clude the districts of Vryheid, Utrecht, Paulpietersburg. Ngotshe, and Babanango. The number of males in 1911 was 564,648, ami of females, 629,395.

Population of the borough of Durban according to the census of May 7, 1911, 69,187, consisting of Europeans, 31,783, natives (including half-castes), 17,784, Indians and Asiatics, 19,620; and of Pietermaritzburg, 30,555, consisting of 14,737 Europeans, 7,789 Indians and Asiatics, 8,029 natives, including half-castes. The white population of Durban in 1918 was 43,413, and of Pietermaritzburg, 18,525.

So far as registered, the births in 1918 numbered 38,091 (2,924 European, 35,167 coloured); deaths, 28,998 (1,577 European, 27,421 n on- European ) ; and marriages, 2,614 (1,041 European, 1,573 non-European).

Instruction. — With the exception of Higher Education, which lias been placed under the control of the Union Government, Education comes under t lie Provincial Administration. There are, for children of European extraction, 171 schools giving primary, 7 schools giving intermediate, and 10 giving secondary education, in all 188 schools, which are supported either entirely or partially by Government funds. In addition there are 3 special or vocational schools, 1 training school for teachers, and 143 farm schools. For coloured children, there are 398 state and state-aided schools (including 44