Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/283

 FINANCE — PRODUCTION AND INDUSTRY

2H1

for Indians), as well as 6 schools provided for the training of coloured teachers. The aggregate number of European pupils in regular attendance at the Government and inspected schools was 20,711 for 1917 ; the average daily attendance 90 1 per cent, of the number on the registers. The number of colour9d children receiving instruction in 1917 amounted to 28,812. A sum of 50,992/. was spent on coloured education during 1918 out of public funds ; the corresponding figure in respect of European education was approximately 384,000*. About 1,100 children attend private unaided schools, and it is estimated that only a very small percentage of white children are receiving no education.

Finance. — for financial arrangements see p. 216 above. The follow- ing figures show the provincial revenue and expenditure for five years: —

1913-14

1914-15

1915-16

1916-17

1917-18

Revenue : —

Union Subsidy ....

£ 118,486 333,000

£

99,923 332,500

£ 106,800

309,000

£

I9MN IM,S8ji

£

172.15.9 288,778

Total Revenue ....

432,423

414,390

47S,998

555,937

ToUl Ordinary Expenditure.

451,002

448,175

439,8?6

477,039

532,443

The average annual expenditure in the six years ending 1917-18 was : for General Administration, 27.220/. ; Education, 212,730/.; Hospitals and Poor Relief, 41,070/. ; Roads Bridges, and Works, 192,068/.

The estimated ordinary expenditure for 1918-19 was 666,198/. The capital expenditure in 1918-10 Was 157,092/.

Production and Industry.— At the end of March, 1918, the area of Crown land which remained unalienated and could be taken up for agricultural or pastoral purposes was 1,178,000 morgen (1 morgen = 2*1165 acres approx.). On the Coast and in Zululand there are vast plantations of sugar (output, 1917-18, 108,000 tons, value 2,700,000/.) and tea, while cereals of all kinds (especially maize), fruits, vegetables, the Acacia molissima, the bark of which is so much used for tanning purposes, and other crops grow prolifically.

The Province is rich in mineral wealth, particularly coal, the output of which is being maintained at a steadily progressive rate. There was ic 191S one gold mine conducting operations on a small scale (for statistics, see p. 220). Among other minerals known to exist in the Province are asbestos, copper ore, fireclay, gold, graphite, gypsum, iron ore, lead and silver ore, limestone and marble, manganese ore, mica, molybdenum ore, nickel ore, nitre, oil shale, and tin ore.

The various factory industries of Natal in 1917-18 (census of 1919) numbered 864, with an annual output valued at nearly 13,754,356/. They had 7.702,542/. invested in machinery, lands, and buildings, annually used materials worth 7,678,167/., and paid over 2,255,326/. yearly in wages to
 * 32,t3r>4 employees.

A Whaling Industry was commenced at Durban in 1908. Down to 1917 (nine years) 7,274 whales were captured. In 1917, 1918 and 1919, the whales captured numbered 17ti, 142 and 641 respectively. Only two companies, with 11 boats, were operating in 1919. Th< industry is now regulated by the Provincial Government.