Fkbruarv 1, 1921 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



371 



motor cars and for cycles, with or witliotit iiitoriial layers of fabric 

 or metal ; threads for clastic tissues. 



NEW ZEALAND 



According to the British Board of Trade Journal, December 

 10, 1920, X-ray gloves, of lead-rubber covered with leather may 

 be imported into New Zealand duty free with the exception of a 

 "primage" duty of 1 per cent ad \alurem which is levied on cer- 

 tain goods on iiniwrtation, irrespective of whether the goods are 

 otherwise liable to duty or not. 



CZECHO-SLOVAKIA 



The government of Czecho-Slovakia lias introduced a so-called 

 "manipulation" fee, which is a tax payable on all goods exported 

 from Czecho-Slovakia On india rubber goods this tax amounts 

 to 2 per rent of the invoice price. 



RUMANIA . 

 'riic exportation of india rubber, t;ntta percha and vegetable 

 yums from Rumania is prohibited by a decision dated November 

 25, 1920, and published in the "Mouitorul Oficiat" of Novem- 

 ber 27. 



TRINIDAD 



.\ccording to the new customs tariff for the British colony of 

 Trinidad, which was recently passed by the Legislative Council of 

 that colony, importations of lialata. chicle and raw rubber are 

 exempt from duty. 



MALTA 



A duty of 15 per cent ad valorem is levied on india rulibcr and 

 its manufactures imported into Malta, according to the Iin])ort 

 Duties Revision Ordinance No. 14 of 1920 dated November 19, 

 and, accordin.g to the British Board of Trade Journal. December 

 16. 1920. 



MEXICO 



.\ presidential decree of November 29, 1920, published in the 

 Mexican Diario Oficial, October 25, 1920, fixes the duty on cable, 

 with core of rubber filaments covered with wool or vegetable fiber. 

 for use on airplanes to lessen shock on landing (gross) at .05-peso 

 per kilo (one kilo equals 2.2 pounds; one peso $0.44 normal). 

 Solid rubi)er tires, fixed to rini< or Imops nf iron (gross) arc 

 dniialile at .50-peso per kilo. 



AUSTRALIAN NOTES 



.Australia imported rubber nianutaeturi s in the value of $5,351.- 

 373 in 1919, as against $3,812,450 in I9IS Of imports, including 

 india rubber, leather, and manufactures thereof, the LTnited King- 

 dom contributed $202,063; other I'.ritisb possessions, $2,007,495; 

 the United States. $4,622,544; and Jap;ui. $56,129. Exports of 

 india rubber and its manufactures from .\ustralia in I9I,S-19 were 

 valued at $I,(K)8,S67. as against $457,010 i„ 1914-15. 



SOUTH AUSTRALIA 

 The overseas import trade in rubljcr and its manufactures into 

 South Australia for the year 1917-lS was valued at $211,653. as 

 against $281,736 for the calendar year 1913. Similar inijiorts in 

 1918-19 increased to $642.57X. The United States furnished 89 

 per cent of the rubber belfinii. llie L'liited Kingdom supplying the 

 renjaiiiin.g 11 per cent Of the tcptal importation of rubber tires, 

 40 per cent came from the L'nited .States, 26 per cent from Canada. 

 17 per cent from F'rance. 11 per cent from the L'nited Kingdom. 

 the balance from Italy and Japan; all other rubber .goods. 69 per 

 cent from the United Kingdom and 2S per cent from the United 

 States. 



NEW SOUTH WALES 

 Impiirts nf india ndiber and kallur am! nianufaclnres thereof 

 into New South Wales are grouped under one head for 1918-19, 

 therefore exact ligurcs of rubber imports are not available, but 

 figures under ihc combined heatling were given at $4,264,065. as 

 against similar importations to the value of $2,582,198 in 1913. 



The out.yoing trade of New .South \\ ale^ for the fiscal year end- 

 ing June 30, 1919, included india rubber and its manufactures to 

 the value of $389,997. 



AUSTRALIAN TIRES PROTECTED 



Australian tire makers enjoy a protective general tariff on tires 

 and tubes of 40 per cent, and as a result .Australians have to pay 

 80 per cent more for tires than .\niericans pay. In the island 

 continent only 60,000 motor cars are registered, whereas based on 

 England's per capita there shotdd be 200,0(X). Cheaper tires, it is 

 claimed by motorists in the .Antipodes, would bring more cars, 

 and they state that the protection uhich Australian tire makers 

 have had for twenty years is no longer needed. 



NEW ZEALAND TIRE MARKET 



in the importation of rubber tire^ and tubes into .\'ew Zealand 

 nnports from the United States in the first nine months of 1920 

 were $2,330,723, from Australia $1,130,809, from Canada $902,624, 

 from the United Kingdom $580,427, brance $710,957, Italy $495,833! 

 Japan $4,205, and from Belgium $7,168. The above figures are 

 for the fair market value in the country whence the goods are 

 exported, plus 10 per cent. This means that freight charges, in- 

 surance, profits, adverse exchange rales, etc. must be added if the 

 actual cost of the business is to be ascertaine<l. bringing the actual 

 cost to the consumers to $12,500.(XXf annually. Motor tires, tubes, 

 and covers enter New Zealand duty free from all countries, with 

 the exception of the 1 per cent war tax that is collected on all 

 imports. The adverse exchange rate and the tight-money market 

 uill tend. to reduce the demand in New Zealand for motor cars 

 lor a few months, but there should be a growing demand for 

 motor trucks and tractors for they are greatly needed to handle 

 the liusiness of the countrv. 



THE RUBBER CRISIS IN BRAZIL 



The Amazon re.gion, the rubber country of Brazil, is going 

 through one of the worst crises in its history. .According to latest 

 reports, not only has production of rubber fallen of! by 22,000 

 tons, but e.Kports for the first ten months of 1920 show a 

 shrinkage of 7.013 tons. Both Europe and America show de- 

 ■•rcased imports. The price of hard fine Para has dropped 40 to 

 .50 per cent since January, 1920, and rubber is being shijiped at a 

 loss. Tlie situation is so serious that it has been openly said that 

 if the (;overnment failed to aid the sutTering states there would 

 le nothing left but to suspend payments. 



In an apjical to the Federal Government for Mipport, .Amazon 

 rubber interests give the chief causes of this condition as being 

 eastern competition and American speculation working for lower 

 prices. .'At a session of the Chamber of Deputies, during consid- 

 eration of the critical situation, three members bitterly denounced 

 the activities of United States rubber interests in the .Amazon 

 region, ft was charged that a "rubber trust" of the Uiiited States 

 was driving flown the price of ruiibcr. forcing the native planters 

 out of the Held and then purchasing the plantations at very low 

 I)rices. .After .-tating that tile difficulties in the Brazilian rubber 

 indiislry began in 1914. when the Great War left North American 

 buyers alone in the field. Deputy Salles added. 



"Our nationality is threatened by purchase in small pieces. 

 The rubber planter, losing interest, is abandoning the plantations 

 uliich the .Americans are acquiring at infinitesimal prices, becom- 

 ing lords of our soil." 



Telegrams from commercial bodies of ibe district affected and 

 many local newspapers all make the same charges and condemn the 

 monopolistic activities of the so-called .American rubber trust. 



l!ri(;\i(iAx i\ipoi;rs nr urnrtKK. r.vn \ i-krcha and .vanukac- 

 lures lliereoi in 1919 were valued 1.144.727 leva, as against 895,291 

 ill 1912, Vormally one lev .'(luals $0,193. lint at the end of 1919 

 it liad depreciated to .«0 02. 



