x thousand
Uitlander children without any facilities for education in their own
language except such as are provided by private enterprise or
charity. And this is so; notwithstanding the expenditure by the State
of nearly a quarter of a million per annum, ostensibly upon
education, nine-tenths of which sum is contributed by the Uitlander
population.

The spirit in which the State aid is given and the aim which the
Government have in view are entirely revealed in the conditions, a
brief reference to which will be sufficient.

The Government capitation grant of L4 per annum may be earned on the
conditions:--

(a) That the child be over six years of age.

(b) That it shall have a sufficient knowledge of the Dutch language
and South African history.

(c) That it be not the child of Dutch or Hollander parents.

(d) That a qualified Dutch teacher must be retained by the school.

The first condition excludes all the children of the kindergarten
schools, and also a class who form a considerable percentage in the
elementary schools. The third condition excludes all those who have
in early years any chance of satisfying the inspectors under the
second condition. Obviously the amount earned by the few who would
satisfy all the conditions could not possibly pay for the salary of
a Dutch teacher. It was an actual experience in several schools that
the acceptance of State aid involved a direct loss; a good example of
the 'something for nothing' policy.

English is permitted to be the medium of instruction in Government
schools on the conditions, among others--

That Dutch be taught for one hour a day during the first year, two
hours a day during the second year, three hours a day during the
third year; and that in the fourth year Dutch shall become the sole
medium of instruction.

The characteristic trickery and cunning which mark so many of the
Boer-Hollander enactments are again apparent here. The proposal is
made to appear reasonable, but it is clearly impossible for a child
to attain within the time named such proficiency in a foreign
language as to be able to receive all instruction in it. The effect
and the design are to place English-speaking children at a grave
disadvantage compared with Dutch-speaking children; either they would
have to devote a great deal more time to the study of Dutch in the
first three years so as to be able to receive all instruction in that
tongue, or they would suffer in the higher stand