Some Notes on a Sabbatical Term

My first glimpse of South Africa as we sailed into Capetown harbour was something I shall never forget. The sun was just rising behind Signal Hill, the lights of Capetown had not yet been extinguished, and we saw Table Mountain resplendent with its magnificent white tablecloth. I was assured by South Africans on board that I could not have been more fortunate. By the time we had disembarked—some hours later—it was raining, but the weather quickly recovered from this temporary lapse, and for the rest of my stay in the Union there was little to complain of except heat and an occasional thunderstorm.

One cannot fail on first arriving in Capetown to be struck, and indeed startled, by the evidence of the policy of Apartheid which is everywhere abundant. It is not my intention to discuss race segregation in this article, but it is all so far removed from anything we have seen and experienced that it must inevitably attract a good deal of notice. It is surprising how soon one gets accustomed to it all, without in the least approving, and I do feel that many Europeans throughout the Union accept this segregation almost as a law of Nature without even bothering to justify it or even to think about it.

After one night in Capetown I went by train to Johannesburg, a distance of 960 miles, which we covered in 29 hours. The South African railways are narrow gauge (3 ft. 6 ins.) and considering the great distances and difficult country, are remarkably efficient. Mainenance costs must be enormous, and in addition there are plans being carried out to double the lines, many of which are still single, and to electrify the whole system. After the first 200 miles the scenery cannot be said to be particularly interesting, and one felt little was missed by sleeping through the Great Karroo. Our train arrived at Johannesburg, nearly 6,000 ft. above sea level, at 3-0 p.m., punctual to the minute.

A very interesting day on Sunday included a visit to Pretoria, and ended with Evensong at St. John's College followed by supper with Mr. and Mrs. Manby. St. John's College is in its general organisation very much like an English Public School, though the Sixth form is nearly non-existent owing to the fact that entrance to a South African University can be secured on "Matriculation", which is about the equivalent of five "0" level passes here. I talked to a group of senior boys after supper, and found them to be extremely interested in and knowledgeable on both their own and our political problems. It may well be that a group of St. John's boys will soon be visiting York. The following weekend I also spent at St. John's, and saw something of their cricket, played on matting wickets with a gravel outfield.

The Anglo-American Mining Corporation—which incidentally has no connection with America—arranged for me a four-day tour of their mines, and I was able to see how both gold and diamonds were mined and extracted. Two days of my visit were spent in Welkom, a new gold mining city which has been completely raised from nothing in the last ten years. A modern town is rapidly rising, and I was most impressed with the enthusiasm shown by everyone who has watched and assisted in this enterprise. There are about forty thousand natives employed in the Welkom gold mines, more than two-thirds of whom come from parts of Africa outside the Union. They are extremely well cared for at any rate judged on previous standards, and I was able to inspect their living and feeding accommodation as well as to see one of the most modern hospitals in the world which is specially built and maintained for the natives. There are opportunities, too, for natives to rise to positions of some responsibility, but this Of course is at present limited by the Government's educational policy which debars natives from degrees in Mining and Engineering. It is at Welkom that the best opportunities for careers in mining are to be found, and although the present official policy in South Africa is in almost every respect contrary to what in this country we look for, it seems to me that this in itself should not debar young men from thinking of careers within the Union.

I later spent two days at Modderfontein, and was shown over the largest explosives factory in the world, where Mr. W. N. Corkhill, who was Housemaster of the Rise in 1940, is now Personnel Manager. Here, too, under the South African I.C.I. there are unique opportunities, particularly for research in Science. There are apparently many by-products of the explosives industry, not least of which are many ranges of fertilisers, which are being developed by the factory staff.

Like many other visitors I found the high altitude of the Johannesburg district somewhat tiring, and was almost relieved, therefore, when the time came to leave and descend to sea level at Durban. Of the two alternative methods of transport available I chose the South African Airways, which accomplished the journey in one hour and twenty minutes, as against the railway which would have taken about seventeen hours. Incidentally South Africa is a very good example of a country which has been opened up a good deal more quickly since air travel has been possible. I had less chance of seeing the Durban district, since it rained on and off for two of the three days I was there. I did, however, see something of the extensive sugar growing districts, and of the various popular seaside resorts nearby.

From East London, where I stayed for two nights, I was motored to Fort Hare, and was able to inspect a University College which is reserved for natives and other coloured peoples. Much to my surprise 6

I was made to address the undergraduates and found them to be most interested in English education and particularly anxious to know what a Public School was. This University College is being threatened by the new bill now before Parliament, since it is to be illegal for natives and Indians to be educated together. I have never heard what the reason for this is said to be, but the threat is already having a most unhappy effect on those who have been so enthusiastic in the founding and development of this most interesting experiment.

Next day I left East London and was motored to Grahamstown,

which is half-way between East London and Port Elizabeth and therefore about a hundred miles from each. Grahamstown is a most interesting School and University city; indeed there is little else in the town and district except these various educational foundations. I was shown round St. Andrew's, Grahamstown, and later had lunch with the Head Master and heard a great deal about the educational position in the Union. It seems that the continued existence of the independent schools there is a matter of some doubt, but many people in South Africa believe that the Government's policy on both religion and education has gone too far and cannot eventually succeed. Incidentally, I was motored from East London to Grahamstown by an Old Peterite, John Spink, who was at School from 1936 to 1945, and who is now a member of the staff of the Rowntree Subsidiary in East London. He told me a great deal about conditions in South Africa, especially from the young man's point of view, and rather confirmed my own view that there was plenty of opportunity for the enthusiastic young man who was prepared, without interfering too much, to do something to help towards the solution of the many problems which face South Africans.

From Grahamstown I went by car to Port Elizabeth and spent an evening and the following morning being shown round this very interesting but rather cosmopolitan city. It is here that most of the industries connected with cars and machinery are found, and although no cars are made in South Africa, several well known makes are assembled in Port Elizabeth. There is a considerable harbour here, and, as in Durban and Capetown, it was very interesting to see many ships anchored outside and waiting to come in, and to realise that this was the definite result of the blocking of the Suez Canal. It was unfortunate that I could only spend one day in Port Elizabeth, and after flying the four hundred miles to Capetown in about two hours, the end of my short but most interesting stay in South Africa was in sight.

The next day, punctually at 4 o'clock, as is the proud boast of the Union Castle line, I sailed from Capetown in the Stirling Castle to the accompaniment of a gale which had been blowing all the previous night. We had a magnificent send-off, but I must admit that the crowd had collected there rather to see the departure of the M.C.C. team than to bid farewell to any of the rest of us !