August 1, 1921 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



855 



bullock carts in the transit of bales of cotton. A form of tire 

 which is highly spoken of is the Pennsylvania, which is fitted 

 with vacuum cups, tlie only drawback being its high price. 

 IMPORTS AND EXPORTS OF INDO-CHINA 



A recent official report of the trade of Indo-China during 1919 

 shows that tlie imports of rubber goods in that year were valued 

 at 10,S45,C)(.XI francs, as compared with 3,076,000 francs the pre- 

 vious year. France supplied tires, tubes, etc., amounting to 1,512 

 •quintals, valued at 5,744.800 francs, which shows an increase in 

 value of 4.439,800 over the total for 1918, when the figures were 

 687 quintals, value 1,305,000 francs. At tlie same time Indo-China 

 imported from France electric wires and cables to a total of 316 

 quintals, value 284,400 francs, as compared with 603 quintals, value 

 271,000 francs. 



Among the rubber articles imported from other countries were : 

 footwear— 210 quintals, value 333.300 francs, in 1919, and 391 

 quintals, value 313.100 francs, in 1918; clastic fabrics — 616 quin- 

 tals, value 307,800 francs, in 1919, against 55 quintals, value 136,800 

 francs, in 1918 ; bolting, hose and packing — 332 quintals, value 

 596,900 francs, and 421 quintals, value 378,800 francs, in 1919 and 

 1918, respectively; tires and tubes — 701 quintals, value 2,663,500 

 francs, in 1919, and 403 quintals, value 766,000 francs, in 1918. 

 As will be noted, the greatest increase took place in tires, where 

 the excess in value over that of the previous year was 1,897,500 

 francs. 



The foreign countries participating in this trade in 1919 were : 

 Singapore — which supplied rubber goods totaling 294 quintals, 

 value 891,000 francs; England — 116 quintals, value 266,000 francs; 

 Japan — 1,302 quintals, value 612,000 francs ; United States — 185 

 quintals, value 493,000 francs ; Philippines — 149 quintals, value 

 556,000 francs. 



The exports during 1919 amounted to 29,505 quintals, value 

 23,604,000 francs, as compared with 5,377 quintals, value 3,226,000 

 francs, the year before. The entire rubber exports went to France 

 in 1918. In 1919 tlie greater part, 27,844 quintals, value 22,275,000 

 francs, was taken by France, the remaining 1,661 quintals, value 

 1.329,000, going to other countries. 



THE SOUTH AFRICAN RUBBEJl MANUFACTURING CO., LTD. 



An interesting example of a plant representing some of the most 

 modern practice in the rubber industry is that furnished by the 

 South African Rubber Manufacturing Co., Limited, at Howick, 

 near Johannesburg. 



The business of today is the outgrowth of two smaller in- 

 dustries established several years ago, while in 1918 plans were 

 being considered regarding a decided expansion. As a result the 

 South African Rubber Manufacturing Co., Limited, became as- 

 sociated with George Spencer, Moulton & Co., Limited, and 

 Wood-Milne, Limited. The capital was subscribed in South 

 Africa and England, while practically all the machinery at the 

 Howick plant came from the latter country. 



The main building at Induna Mills, Howick. is divided into 

 three sections, each 50 feet wide and 180 feet long, and each de- 

 voted to a particular branch of the rubber industry. In the first 

 section, for instance, pneumatic tires and tubes are manufactured, 

 while the other two divisions supply woven and braided hose, 

 conveyor and transmission belting, brake and coach gear, foot- 

 wear and general mechanical goods. The Induna Mills were 

 built after a thorough inspection of English and American fac- 

 tories. 



A SMALL VOLUME ENTITLED "RUBBER PLANTING, A BoOK FOR 



the Prospective Estate .Assistant in British Malaya." endeavors 

 to give an idea of the exact conditions of plantation life in 

 Malaya. .An entire chapter, for instance, is devoted to 

 "Tropical Health Hints." Another entitled "Rubber Estate 

 Work," appears to be very comprehensive, while the subject of 

 rubber planting, in all its details, is thoroughly covered. This 

 book was reviewed in The India Rubber World, December 1, 

 1920. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN THE FAR EAST 



By Our Regular Correspondent 



MALAYA 



NOW that the plan for compulsory restriction of the output of 

 rubber has been squelched by the Colonial Secretary, new 

 suggestions are cropping up and another few months will prob- 

 ably go by before anything definite has been decided upon. At an 

 important meeting held at Kuala Lumpur on May 18, seven dif- 

 ferent schemes for getting the rubber industry out of its difficulties 

 were received. One of these was being considered by the Rubber 

 Growers' Association in London but so far no details are avail- 

 able for publication. 



At the above-mentioned meeting, the opinion seemed to be that 

 although all of the schemes had defects the Kellie-Smith plan 

 and the Carey plan were the best. The first restricted the output 

 50 per cent by imposing a heavy export duty, not to exceed 10 

 per cent ad valorem or 5 cents a pound, on all excess over 50 

 per cent of the normal output. 



The second plans a 25 per cent restriction, with the follow'ing 

 objects: Reduction of rubber stocks, aid to weak producers, and 

 proof to the Government of the industry's desire to assist itself. 

 To this end it is proposed to place a tax of 1 to 2 cents a pound 

 on all rubber exported, the money thus obtained to be utilized 

 to capitalize a land bank through which weak producers offering 

 good securities would be assisted. 



Those who favor this plan point out that the Government might 

 be more ready to favor a scheme of compulsory restriction if 

 the industry itself were prepared to assist weak producers. It is 

 believed that one of the chief obstacles to legislation is the in- 

 ability of the Government to finance deserving claims, which legis- 

 lation implies. 



There are those who oppose this scheme on the ground that 

 governmental assistance would again be required and that so far 

 attempts to get governmental assistance in the matter has re- 

 sulted in nothing but a waste of time. 



Certainly, the Malayan rubber industrj', which is hardest hit by 

 prevailing conditions, has spent many months in profitless discus- 

 sion. It was in September of 1920 that the stock position began 

 to cause anxiety, and although almost a year has passed, nothing 

 definite has been accomplished in remedying the situation. 



If much more time is spent in futile talk, producers will some 

 day awaken to the fact that the only plan that has been properly 

 supported is the "shake out" which the schemes under considera- 

 tion were intended to prevent ! 



And what will be the result of a shake-out? The Malayan 

 rubber industry will pass from under British control, says The 

 Malayan Tin & Rubber Journal: 



Men with long purses who have no sympathy for the Malayan 

 industry and think only of what they can get out of it will buy 

 up cheaply the more valuable of the weakly financed estates. 

 They will be cunning enough to acquire control of the rubber 

 planting industry to the detriment of everyone but themselves. 

 It recalls how foreigners acquired large areas of British oil ter- 

 ritory and that this combination was strong enough to gain the 

 ear of the Colonial Office and a large influence in Parliament. 



In the case of Malaya it is probable that as the greater part of 

 our rubber goes to a foreign country the control will be exercised 

 in that country. 



Although owners may be ruined and estates abandoned, the 

 trees will still continue to yield latex. They will of course be 

 overtapped and the product will be bought largely by the huge 

 combines, who being intimately concerned with the manufac- 

 turers, or maybe the manufacturers themselves, will see that the 

 general user of rubber articles pays the full price for them. 

 That will not benefit the producer — but the manufacturers. There 

 can then be no revival of the rubber industry so far as Malayan 

 planters are concerned. 



SPREAD OF PINK DISEASE 



.\nother worry that has been added to the burden of the Malayan 

 rubber plant is a serious spread of pink disease north of Selangor 

 and in lower Perak. .Abandoned native holdings and poorly kept, 

 overtapped areas are the chief centers of the disease. 



