Guide - General Conditions
General Conditions
These topics are discussed below:-
ACCOMMODATION
BUILDINGS AND PLOTS
CLOTHING
ELECTRICITY, WATER AND SANITATION
DOMESTIC SERVANTS
EMPLOYMENT
MOTOR CARS
PROFESSIONS
SOCIAL SECURITY
LEGISLATION
INCOME TAX
ESTATE DUTY
CURRENCY AND BANKING
POSTS AND TELEGRAPHS
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ACCOMMODATION
Private
THE housing position in Northern Rhodesia is acute and no settler should think of coming to the country unless he is assured of accommodation. There are seldom houses to rent and houses rarely come into the market for sale. Even small employers have to provide housing in order to get staff. The mines, railway and Government normally provide housing for their staffs.
Hotels
Accommodation in hotels is also extremely difficult and hotel reservations should be made well in advance. Invariably bookings will not be accepted for more than a few days or a week at a time. Inclusive rates range from about 17s. 6d. to 35s. 6d. per day according to the class of hotel.
BUILDINGS AND PLOTS
There is a shortage of skilled labour and materials are scarce and costly. The cost of building an average size house is about 43s. per square foot. Building plots are available and can be acquired from Government on a 99-year lease and in some cases freehold plots are available from other sources.
Freehold can occasionally be bought. The following values and prices are for Government owned leasehold plots :
Residential plots valued at £100 per acre—rent 4 per cent. of valuation per annum.
Business plots valued at £200 per acre—rent 4 per cent. of valuation per annum.
Light Industry plots valued at £200 per acre—rent 4 per cent. of valuation per annum.
Residential smallholdings valued at £10 per acre—rent 4 per cent. of valuation per annum.
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Applicants are required to put down one-third of value as consideration, the rent being charged on the two-thirds balance, and to pay the cost of survey fees and charges for preparation and registration.
The value of Heavy Industrial sites has not yet been decided, but it is expected that it will be in the region of £300.
Intending residents wishing to enquire about the possibility of building their own houses should apply to the Northern Rhodesia Master Builders, and Allied Trades Association, P.O. Box 304, Kitwe.
CLOTHING
Intending residents should provide themselves with such clothing as they would ordinarily wear in England (except, of course, for heavy underclothing). At different times a use will be found for all types of clothes, even a heavy overcoat or fur being occasionally essential. Pullovers and cardigans are necessary in the early mornings and after sunset except during the hottest months.
Men
At least one good lounge suit, preferably of a lighter material than that worn in England, is advisable. Dinner jackets are compulsory at all the better dances or evening civic functions. Washing suits, flannels (with or without jackets) or khaki shorts are worn depending on the type of work being done and the time of year. In winter it is cold enough for suits or sports coats to be worn. A raincoat is essential. It should not be too heavy in weight because the heaviest rains occur during the warmer months.
Felt and panama hats are in general use, but outdoor workers need sun helmets or hats with very broad brims. Tinted glasses are useful.
Women
Washable cotton and lightweight linen frocks are most frequently worn by women during the day. The smarter type of afternoon dress is handy for cocktail or sundowner parties. Warm suits are necessary during the coldest months and even woollen
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or " jeep " coats have their uses. At dinner, dances or other formal functions, long evening frocks are generally worn. Smart hats are naturally indispensable on special occasions.
This list comprises the basic requirements of an intending woman settler's wardrobe:
4 washable frocks 2 cardigans
2 evening dresses 1 pair of slacks
3 afternoon frocks 1 mackintosh
2 blouses or shirts 1 umbrella
2 warm skirts 1 shady felt or straw hat
1 long coat (lightweight) Normal summer underclothing
A good range of shoes, including sandals and a strong pair for walking, is essential. Dressmaking patterns are obtainable in the large centres.
Children
Children require light washable clothing in sufficient quantities to allow a daily or twice-daily change. Jerseys, cardigans and a mackintosh are essential. Linen or felt hats are worn by both boys and girls. School uniforms are obtainable locally.
Small boys usually wear khaki drill shirts and shorts for " roughing " about and grey flannel or white drill shorts for best wear. Cotton frocks are suitable for girls.
Clothing is more expensive than in the United Kingdom but it is plentiful in supply.
ELECTRICITY, WATER AND SANITATION
In the main towns, the supply of electricity and water is either in the hands of the municipality (as at Livingstone and Ndola), the mining companies (Broken Hill and the Copperbelt), or the Government (as at Lusaka). Smaller towns rely on boreholes for water supply and have individually-owned lighting plants at hotels, hospitals, railway stations, etc. Except at Livingstone, where the water is pumped from the Zambezi, it is excessively hard and, though reasonably pure, is always chlorinated.
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The voltage in the towns which are supplied with electricity is 220 A.C. Some households contain electric stoves, but wood is the fuel commonly used for cooking. Refrigerators are essential and are either electrical or of the paraffin-burning type.
In remote districts illumination is by petrol or paraffin lamps. Pressure lamps are the most popular.
Automatic telephone installations are confined to the larger towns; elsewhere the party-line system is employed.
The electricity bill for a normal house is about 30s. to 35s. per month depending on what electrical appliances are used. Wood fuel is used for cooking and sitting-room fires, and a cord of wood costing £1 15s. should last one month. Water costs about 25s. per month for 15,000 gallons, depending on the season. A charge of 10s. per month is made for sanitation services.
DOMESTIC SERVANTS
Most Rhodesian households, for various reasons, find one or more native servants essential. The average family employs a cook-houseboy at about £4 per month. Apart from wages, the employer is obliged to feed his servants, but it is the usual practice to pay them 17s. 6d. each per month in lieu of rations. It is also necessary to house two of the servants in a municipal compound, the charge for which is about 15s. per month each.
The cook usually lives in quarters built on the occupier's stand. It is also usual to supply the cook and houseboy with a khaki and white working uniform. These cost about £2 each.
MOTOR CARS
Petrol is not rationed, and costs about 3s. 6 1/2d. per gallon.. Oil costs about 13s. per gallon. Servicing costs about £1 2s. 6d. including a change of oil. Tyres are about £7, and batteries £10 10s. for 12-volt and £7 for 6-volt.
British cars are in full supply at the local garages; the costsEMP
Hillman Minx. ... ... £645
Morris Minor, 4-door ... £555
Austin A.40 ... ... £675
Austin A.30 ... ... £510
Vauxhall Velox ... £750
Ford Anglia 10 ... ... £485
Ford Consul ... .., £640
MOTOR CARS
The following are the addresses of some of the largest employers in the country:
Northern Rhodesia Master Builders, and Allied Trades Association, P.O. Box 304, Kitwe.
Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Northern Rhodesia, P.O. Box 256, Cecil Avenue, Ndola. (Representing commercial and industrial firms in the country). Northern Rhodesia Chamber of Mines, P.O. Box 134, Kitwe. (Representing the five mining companies).
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Rhodesia Railways, P.O. Box 596, Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia.
The Secretary, Civil Service Commission, Northern Rhodesia Government, Lusaka.
Zambesi Saw Mills Ltd., P.O. Box 41, Livingstone. (For carpentry, logging and forestry).
There are no fixed rates of pay for employees, except on the mines and railways. Government has salary scales and considerable variation exists between different firms.
A shop assistant may receive a salary of £25 per month, plus groceries at cost price, plus free quarters, plus an annual bonus. A carpenter, bricklayer or painter working for a contractor may receive 7s. per hour; for the mines 39s. 6d. per shift, plus bonus, cost of living and various other perquisites. A clerk may receive £600 per annum.
It is advisable for intending residents to ascertain what their salaries or wages and conditions of service will be before coming to take up employment.
PROFESSIONS
The majority of professional men and women in the Territory are in the employ of either the Government or of the mining companies but the number of doctors, lawyers and architects in private practice has increased considerably since the war. The registrations of doctors, dentists, lawyers, architects and surveyors is governed by local statute and nobody is allowed to practise these professions without registration. The professional standards are, with certain minor modifications, the same as those required in the United Kingdom.
SOCIAL SECURITY
There are no organised social security schemes in Northern Rhodesia but for the majority of wage-earners in the Territory a very high degree of social security is inherent in their terms of employment. The Government, the mining companies and the railways all have pensions or provident schemes; adequate health services are provided either free or at nominal charge; and accommodation is provided whenever possible at very low rental. There is no system of unemployment benefits, nor is there an Old Age Pensions Scheme. None the less, indigent persons are provided for by a system of allowance for aged persons.
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LEGISLATION
The Companies Ordinance regulates the constitution and incorporation of companies, the distribution of capital and liability of members, qualifications of directors, allotment of shares and the management, administration and winding up of companies. Public companies may be formed by any seven or more persons and private companies may be formed by two or more persons. Under the Trades and Businesses Ordinance persons wishing to carry on a wide variety of trades in the Territory must apply for a licence to the local Licensing Authority. Other ordinances relating to the carrying on of business include the Registration of Business Names Ordinance and the Liquor Licensing Ordinance.
Labour legislation covers the employment of both European and African workers. This includes the Trade Union and Trade Disputes Ordinance, and the Industrial Conciliation Ordinance.
INCOME TAX
Income tax is levied on income accruing in or derived from sources in Northern Rhodesia. Income received in Northern Rhodesia from outside the Territory is not subject to tax. From total income tax the following deductions are allowed in arriving at chargeable income:
(a) Personal deductions—£700 for married persons and £350 for single persons.
(b) Deductions for children—£150 in respect of each child under 18 (or 25 if the child is receiving full-time schooling).
(c) Deductions for dependants—the amount expended, limited to £150 and further limited to the difference between the dependant's income and £300.
(d) Insurance—the amount of annual premiums paid limited to one-sixth of the total income or 7 per cent. of the sum assured, whichever is the least, and further limited to £250.
(e) Widows, and others similarly situated, who have custody of and maintain a child, receive the allowances and are taxed at the rates applicable to married persons.
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The rates of tax are as follows:
Single s. d.
For every £1 of the first £250 of chargeable income ... 1 0
For every £1 of the next £250 of chargeable income ... 2 0
For every £1 of the next £250 of chargeable income ... 3 0
For every £1 of the next £250 of chargeable income ... 4 0
For every £1 of the next £250 of chargeable income ... 5 0
For every £1 of the next £250 of chargeable income ... 6 0
For every £1 of the next £250 of chargeable income ... 7 0
The excess over £1,750 of chargeable income ... 7 6
Married s. d.
For every £1 of the first £250 of chargeable income ... 1 0
For every £1 of the next £250 of chargeable income ... 1 6
For every £1 of the next £200 of chargeable income ... 2 6
For every £1 of the next £200 of chargeable income ... 3 0
For every £1 of the next £200 of chargeable income ... 4 0
For every £1 of the next £200 of chargeable income ... 5 0
For every £1 of the next £500 of chargeable income ... 6 0
For every £1 of the next £500 of chargeable income ... 7 0
The excess of £2,300 of chargeable income ... 7 6
The Company rate of tax is 7s. 6d. in the £.
ESTATE DUTY
Rates of estate duty are as follows:
Where the Principal and does not Estate duty shall
Value of the Estate exceed be payable at the
exceeds rate of
£ £ £
2,000 5,000 1 per cent.
5,000 7,500 2 per cent.
7,500 10,000 3 per cent.
10,000 20,000 4 per cent.
20,000 40,000 5 per cent.
40,000 70,000 6 per cent.
70,000 100,000 7 per cent.
100,000 200,000 8 per cent.
200,000 300,000 9 per cent.
300,000 — 10 per cent.
Where an estate is inherited by a surviving spouse, half the above rates only are charged on the first £10,000.
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CURRENCY AND BANKING
Southern Rhodesia coin and currency notes issued by the Southern Rhodesia Currency Board are the only legal tender in Northern Rhodesia. There is no local currency. The current denominations are 5s., 10s. and £1 and £5 notes, cupro-nickel or copper halfpennies and pennies, and cupro-nickel or silver threepenny bits, sixpences, shillings, florins (2s.) and half-crowns (2s. 6d.).
Banking business in the Territory is conducted by the Standard Bank of South Africa Ltd., and by Barclays Bank (D.C. & 0.) Ltd., each with branches throughout the Territory.
There is as yet no land bank but a Land Board financed by the Government makes long-term loans to farmers against the security of title deeds, and an Industrial Loans Board makes similar loans for industrial development. A Land Bank is shortly to be established.
POSTS AND TELEGRAPHS
There are nearly eighty post offices in the Territory and a number of postal agencies are operated in the rural areas. All the major centres are linked by telephone services, some on the automatic system. Outstations are served by wireless telephony, and radio telephone communication with the United Kingdom and several other countries is also available. There is an adequate air-mail postal service within the Territory as well as to all parts of the world. An air-mail letter from London to Lusaka takes about four days.
Modern Cinema at Kitwe
