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THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[July 1, 1912. 



8 — That the terms herein agreed to, be embodied in a form of 

 agreement and be signed by all employers undertaking to con- 

 form strictly to the terms and enforce the conditions laid down. 

 On behalf of the new companies Mr. Henry Daley, secretary 

 of B. G. Balata Association, and manager of the Essequibo 

 Rubber and Tobacco Estates, Limited, made the following re- 

 ply : This agreement was shown to him during the sittings 

 of the Balata Committee. This was the first he had seen of it, 

 and he would be much surprised if any of the new companies' 

 representatives had even heard of it before. Mr. Daley stated 

 emphatically that from the beginning the Balata Association 

 wished to work hand in hand with the Institute, and did all 

 in its power towards this end. He further remarked : "What- 

 ever the policy of the new Balata companies has been, they have 

 all along tried to work with the Institute. This is clearly shown 

 by the evidence of the Balata Committee meetings, Mr. Joseph 

 A. King, who represented the companies in the Balata Associa- 

 tion, leaving all questions directly affecting the working of the 

 Institute severely alone." Asked whether he was in favor of the 

 Irrstitute remaining in existence, Mr. Daley said: "If the In- 

 stitute could be granted fuller powers, and with certain altera- 

 tions in its regulations, it would be a pity to make any change. 

 The Institute has records and experience that will take another 

 or new department considerable time to acquire, and from some 

 of the last witnesses of the Balata Commission a change is likely 

 to cost the Balata companies considerable money. For the 

 benefits to be derived, I certainly don't think it is worth it. 

 Let the different industries (particularly the Balata interests) 

 be properly represented on the council of the Institute and 

 there will be no further need of the Balata Association." 



FURTHER BRITISH GUIANA NOTES. 



AN UNKNOWN HOLIDAY GROUND. 



ON June 5 Miss Edith Browne, the authoress (whose name is 

 familiar to the readers of The India Rubber World), who 

 had arrived in the colony some weeks before, delivered an in- 

 teresting lecture on the above subject in the rooms of the Royal 

 Agricultural and Commercial Society at Georgetown. During 

 her visits, at different times, she had evidently grasped the situa- 

 tion of local matters, as her lecture was replete with comments 

 and suggestions, in line with her previous work in England in 

 writing up British Guiana. 



Touching the work of the Permanent Exhibitions Committee, 

 which it had been stated was borne practically by Professor Har- 

 rison and Mr. Stockdale, and for the furtherance of which co- 

 operation was solicited, she observed that from what she had 

 seen of the colony's representation at the Rubber Exhibition in 

 London she did not think these gentlemen needed any help. 

 Passing on to the subject of her discourse, Miss Browne said 

 there were several people in the audience who knew a great deal 

 more about the colony than she did, but at the same time there 

 were in Georgetow-n a very great number who did not know 

 nearly as much about the colony as she did, much to their shame. 

 They had, however, to do something to make the fact of the 

 colony being an ideal holiday ground known. Other countries 

 that wanted to come to the fore as playing fields had spent an 

 enormous amount of money in advertising. 



Miss Browne likewise urged the development of British 

 Guiana. In the development of the colony, as far as she could 

 judge, there were three problems. Those bones of contention 

 were capital, labor and transport. 



In supporting a vote of thanks to Miss Browne, Mr. Justice 

 Earnshaw said that if the colony could be called by one name, 

 instead of British Guiana and Demerara, it would be of consider- 

 able use and a committee should be formed with a view to pro- 

 claiming the virtues of the colony as a health and holiday resort 

 and settling on the name by which it should be known abroad. 



An attempt was being made through the energy of Sprostons, 



Limited, with the assistance of Miss Browne and Mr. Colcutt to 

 erect a hotel. Mr. Colcutt, a London architect, is now visiting 

 the colony for the purpose of investigating the situation and 

 prospects. 



THE BAL.vrA SITUATION. 



According to the most recent statistics available, British Guiana 

 exports of balata this year, from January 1 to June 6, had been 

 only 25,557 pounds, as compared with 136,006 pounds during the 

 corresponding period of 1911. The United Kingdom took about 

 55 per cent, of the quantity and the United States about 45 

 per cent. 



The advent of the rains has been a blessing in'many directions. 

 It has had the effect of causing a brightening generally in trade 

 in Georgetown, and the stores after the long spell of trade de- 

 pression, caused by the drought, are busier through the indus- 

 trial activity that the rains have brought. Especially is this the 

 case with the balata industry, the activity of which is per- 

 haps greatest, seeing that the drought had caused more of a 

 dead stop in these operations than perhaps in any other di- 

 rection. The great exodus to the balata bush which took 

 place during the last fortnight of May has meant good busi- 

 ness for traders that cater especially for the balata bleeder and 

 his multifarious wants. 



The first piece of balata of the season was brought to town 

 on the 16th of May. It was for the Consolidated Rubber & 

 Balata Estates, Ltd., and came from grants on the Demerara 

 River. The balata was of a beautiful amber color and of splendid 

 quality. 



Mr. Coupain (a collector for the Balata Company Surinam), 

 has just returned from the Gonini and Tappanahony rivers. Mr. 

 Coupain is quite sanguine that although the dividends this year 

 will be nothing near as high as what they were last year, still, 

 he adds, the forecast of the industry is sufficiently reassuring. 

 He says that all the trees are now in fit condition for operations, 

 and that it is only a matter of a little more time spent on the 

 grants to make things square. This is rather encouraging. 



BRITISH GUIANA AND THE NEW YORK EXPOSITION. 

 Efforts have been made to induce the Permanent Exhibitions 

 Committee to reconsider its decision for the colony not to take 

 part in the New York Exhibition. Strong resolutions on the 

 subject have been adopted by the Georgetown Chamber of Com- 

 merce and by the Royal .Agricultural and Commercial Society. 

 In communicating the resolution to the E.xhibitions Committee, 

 the Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce added: "Opportu- 

 nities for advertising the colony and its products are so few that 

 the Council think it would be missing one of the greatest, if this 

 colony made no show at all on the tables of the New York Ex- 

 hibition." 



TRINIDAD NOTES. 



Consul Franklin D. Hale, of Port of Spain, Trinidad, advises 

 that he expects to arrive in New York on July 17. on a leave of 

 absence for 30 days. He will be in New York for two days, and 

 may be addressed by business men at the Grand Union Hotel ; 

 thence proceeding to Washington for two days. During the re- 

 mainder of his leave, his address will be Lunenburg. Vermont. 



In anticipation of his visit he has written an official report on 

 "How to Increase American Trade with Trinidad." which ap- 

 pears in No. 140 of the Daily Consular and Trade Reports. He 

 remarks that while many of the larger mercantile firms doing 

 business with America make their purchases through New York 

 commission houses, he feels assured that commercial travelers 

 personally representing goods in the island, would effect much 

 larger sales in numerous lines. 



Railway extension is making satisfactory progress ; the iron- 

 work for the bridges on the Siparia and Rio Clara hnes having 

 been contracted for in England. The local jovernment has 

 ordered from England a new 14^-knot coasting steamer for 

 use in connection with the railway at San Fernando. 



