is the next point of attack, and even in this they had a share. The statement is made, that this Government monopoly imposes upon the mining industry an intolerable burden, insomuch as the Government having the right to charge 90s. a case for dynamite, it can be supplied at 30s. I go into the figures of this business, because there is here a concrete case, from which your readers can judge for themselves the credibility of other statements in the manifesto. The Government does not charge 90s. but 85s. per case, and I cannot give a more convincing proof that it cannot be supplied at 30s., than the fact that the De Beers Company, a powerful financial and monopolistic company, where there is no charge incurred for storage, distribution _del credere_, etc., pays more than 60s. per case delivered in Kimberley. ‘Add to that price--Additional railage to Johannesburg, storage, distribution over an area of forty miles of reef and over a hundred companies, _del credere_ and collection commission, besides some import DUES TO THE TRANSVAAL, and it becomes clear what use has been made of the Government monopoly in powder and explosives for purposes of agitation. To give an even more graphic illustration. I extract from the last annual report of the Crown Reef Company (the only company in which the use of explosives is separately accounted for), the fact that out of a total working cost of 30s. 2⅜d. per ton, the actual cost of all explosives was 1s. 2½d. per ton; the unbearable burden justifying revolution! ‘Now, as to the other taxation said to strangle the mines. There is no country in which the personal taxes are lighter. I challenge anyone, be he the richest or poorest, to show me that he pays more than £5 per annum of personal taxes in the Transvaal. And as for direct taxes levied on the mines, I just extract from the LAST ANNUAL REPORT to hand the following:-- ‘Crown Reef Gold Mining Company produced last year in gold £420,106, 19s. 6d., has distributed last year in profits £96,912, 2s. 5d., has paid to the Government for rents, licences, and all other rights and privileges last year £1191, 9s. 10d. ‘Robinson Gold Mining Company produced last year in gold £651,928, 5s. 3d., has distributed last year in profits £346,628, 12s. 6d., has paid to the Government for rents, rates, and licences £395, 11s. 8d. ‘New Chimes Gold Mining Company produced £93,013, 15s. 11d.; paid profits, £32,485, 16s. 3d.; paid rates and licences, lumped in the balance-sheet together with insurance premiums, £664, 16s. 5d. ‘The Transvaal Coal Trust produced 266,945 tons of coal last year; all Government taxation amounted to £53, 1s. ‘The Consolidated Land and Exploration Company, of which the Ecksteins are the largest holders, owns over 250 farms of about 6000 acres each; all the taxes, including absentee tax, amounted to £722, 2s. 6d. last year. ‘Now for the INDIRECT TAXATION.