2,22 



THE INDIA RUBBER W6Rtl3 



[April 1, 1912. 



has also erected a large hotel, where we planned to spend the 

 night. Reaching Preston at nine in the evening we found the 

 big barracks of a hotel crowded from attic to cellar. So the 

 Reverend Juan engaging for us a sail boat, we embarked and 



Caiim.\ner.a, the W.\ti;k Front at Guantanamo. 



sailed and drifted across the bay landing at half past two in the 

 morning and a half hour later were contentedly settled in the 

 comfortable Railroad hotel at Antilla. 



PLANTATION EXPENDITURE. 



/^KE of the most valuable features of the spec.al consular re- 

 port upon Malayan Rubber Growing, abstracted by The 

 India Rubber World in the issue of January last (page 161), is 

 the pro forma detailed statement of the expenses incurred by a 

 thousand-acre estate, with a yearly production of 400 pounds per 

 acre, from 120 trees. These interesting tables were prepared by 

 Mr. C. C. Malet, formerly connected with the Department of Ag- 

 riculture of the Belgian Congo, but at present a licensed valuator 

 in the Strait's Settlements. 



As mentioned in the brief reference to these tables, in the Jan- 

 uary issue, the total cost of production, freight to Europe and 

 sale there, represented 25.8445 cents per pound. 

 TOTAL EXPENDITURES. 

 This total cost is formed of the si.x following items: 



.Average cost 

 per lb. on basis 

 of 400,000 lbs. 

 per annum. 

 12.210 cents 

 6.675 " 

 1.483 " 

 3.077 " 

 1.440 " 

 .960 " 



Expenditure. 



1. General estate expenditure $48,840 



2. Tapping expenditure 26,700 



3. Factory costs 5,930 



4. Shipping costs 12,308 



5. Sale charges, etc 5,760 



6. Bonuses, etc 3,840 



Total expen. of 1,000-acre estate. .$103,378 



Cost per pound on 400,000 lbs 25.845 cents 



By the above singularly lucid arrangement the estimated cost 

 at any stage may be ascertained. The first three stages, up to 

 the point of shipment, represent 20.368 cents, while the three 

 later stages represent 5.477 cents. It will be noticed that nearly 

 one-half of the total cost is incurred before tapping, or, in other 

 words, in seconding and facilitating the work of nature. 

 While this estimate is supposed to include all outlays from period 

 of planting and weeding up to and including the time of auction 

 in Europe, it does not cover anything .for interest on capital em- 

 ployed. Assuming that interest of four to five years has to be 

 covered on a large share of the first item, it is a question whether 

 the current estimate of "eighteen pence a pound" for plantation 

 cost is materially affected by Mr. Malet's figures. Of course they, 



in common with all pro forma estiltiates.'^hWe to stahd compari- 

 son with actual recorded facts. They are based, it will be re- 

 membered, on the supposed case of a 1,000-acre estate yielding 

 annually 400 pounds per acre, but are susceptible of comparison 

 with actual results. 



The following summary tables deal with the separate items of 

 cost, as shown by Mr. Malet's estimate: 



Item 1, General Expenditure 



Rent, 1,000 acres at $2.272 



Hospital staff and up-keep 



Visiting medical officer 



Assessment for roads, etc 



Planters' Association 



Up-keep of buildings, furniture, etc 



Agency and visiting agent 



English expenses of direction, etc. . . 

 Estate management and clerical staff. 



Field up-keep force (28c. per man per day) . . . 



Headmen for do , 



Carters and gardeners (10), at (28c. per day) 



Up-keep of cattle and motor car 



Up-keep of estate, tools, etc 



Recounting of labor, etc 



Contingencies 



$2,272 

 2,579 

 682 

 284 

 114 

 852 

 3,408 



5,680 

 17,609 



8,180 



409 



909 



568 



1,136 



1.136 



3,022 



$10,191 



23,28g) 



■r',3f . • 



12,338 

 3,022 



Total Item 1. 



$48,840 



Item 2, Tapping Expenditure 



Wages of tapping coolies 



Wages of 10 headmen at 40 cents per day. 



.$25,500 

 . 1,200 



$26,700 



Item 3, Factory Costs 



Wages 



Acid 



Fuel 



Repairs and lubrication... 

 Cases (3,000) at 60 cents. 



$2,226 

 110 



654 

 1,140 

 1,800 



$5,930 



Item 4, Shipping Costs on 3,CXX) cases 



Transit to vessel $ 638 



Freight to Europe 3,750 



Wharfage and delivery, 72 cents per case.... 2,160 



Insurance 960 



Export duty 2J^% ad. valorem (on $192,000) . . 4,800 



$12,308 



Item 5, Sale Charges 



1% on $192.000 



Brokerages and agency charges, 2%. 



$1,920 

 3,840 



$5,760 



Item 6, Bonus to agents and estate staff. 

 2% on $192,000 



$3,840 



$3,840 



REDUCTION OF PLANTATION COSTS. 



In discussing the above subject, "Grenier's Rubber News" re- 

 marks that while the policy in estates under honest management 

 is to reduce the cost of production to the minimum, that figure 

 will of necessity vary. The cost of production will in some parts 

 of Malaya to be found much higher than in others. 



Ceylon, it is remarked, has an advantage over Malaya in the 

 average cost per day of a cooly being 6 pence as compared with 

 W/i pence; the inducements afforded by the higher Malayan 

 wages resulting in the Indian immigrants finding superior attrac- 

 tions in the latter country, which thus secures the labor. 



