September 1, 1917.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



743 



outbreak of the war. Deputations have been heard by the Chan- 

 cellor of the Exchequer and the Commercial Committee of the 

 House of Commons, with the result that while the Finance Bill 

 of 1917 as issued does not contain the general clause or amend- 

 ments suggested by the Rubber Growers' Association, a pro- 

 vision is made to lessen after December 31, 1916, the hardship 

 arising from the Vallambrosa judgment. 



During the debate in the House of Commons the Chancellor 

 of the Exchequer stated that while one industry could not be 

 dealt with in a general tax in one particular way, the Treasury 

 would not be opposed to a rehearing by the Board of Referees, 

 and the Rubber Growers' Association has determined to continue 

 the matter along that line. Meanwhile, as a result of repre- 

 sentation on behalf of the association a new clause has been 

 added to the bill by the Treasury sanctioning referring to the 

 Board of Referees any application regarding a class of trade or 

 business, and permitting closed cases to be reopened and orders 

 revised if deemed advisable. 



RUBBER FOOTWEAR IN NEW ZEALAND. 



According to Consul General Alfred A. Winslow, at Auck- 

 land, New Zealand, the United States practically controls the 

 New Zealand and market in gum boots, but there has been quite 

 a falling off in the trade for 1916. The American gum boot is 

 considered better than any other, unless it be the Canadian boot. 

 The imports of gum boots for three years are here shown. 



1914. 1915. 1916. 



From — 



I lozen 



pairs. 



United Kingdom 223 



Canada 360 



Australia 14 



United States 1,272 



All other countries .'. . 



Totals 1.869 $72,642 1.719 $61,307 1,373 $51,459 



In galoshes and overshoes of rubber, gymnasium shoes, etc., 

 Great Britain sent the largest, Canada second, and United States 

 the third largest amounts. American manufacturers do not 

 seem to be holding their own in these lines, possibly because 

 of the preferential import duty which favors the United King- 

 dom. The imports are as follows : 



1914. 1915. 1916. 



From — 



Dozen .Jozer 



Value, pairs. Value, pairs. 



$86,624 24.729 $86,667 21,492 



22,746 2,690 17,695 3,069 



516 30 228 



326 283 1,120 113 



29 116 418 736 



17,807 2,406 15,014 1,546 



418 10 39 80 



Value. 



$88,809 



19,408 



389 

 2,151 

 9,426 



146 



Dozen 



pairs. 



United Kingdom 24,167 



Canada 3,160 



France 216 



Sweden 71 



Japan 18 



United Sta'es 2,850 



All other countries 100 



Totals 30.582 $128,466 30,264 $121,181 27,036 $120,329 



A 1 per cent war tax is collected on all imports into New 

 Zealand. Galoshes and overshoes of rubber, gymnasium shoes, 

 etc., pay a duty of ZZy'^ per cent froiri the United Kingdom and 

 possessions and 1154 psr cent additional from all other coun- 

 tries, plus the war tax. Gum boots enter free of duty from 

 all countries, with the exception of the war tax. 



MOTOR CAR IMPORT LICENSES DISCONTINUED IN FRANCE. 



.A. Ministerial Notice, published in the French "Journal Of- 

 ficiel" for July, is to the effect that no further licenses will be 

 granted for the importation into France and Algeria of motor 

 cars and motor lorries except in cases where it is proved that 

 the vehicles were despatched direct to France or Algeria at a 

 date prior to the publication of the notice. 



RUBBER SPONGE IN TREPANNING. 



For closing a hole in the skull Dr. C. Scandota, of Naples, 

 uses rubber sponge. He reports to "La Riforma Medica" that 

 he tried it on a rabbit and a dog. which he killed after nine and 

 six months and foimd that except for slight loose adhesion to 



the dura, the rubber sponge was unchanged. It had caused no 

 trouble and the animals had behaved normally. 



FRENCH WEST AFRICAN EXPORT DUTY. ■' 



The valuation of rubber exported from French West Africa 

 from April 1 to October 1, 1917, has been fixed for the purpose 

 of assessing export duty, at 500 francs per 100 kilograms [about 

 $100 per 220 pounds] for exports from Senegal, French Guinea, 

 the Ivory Coast (including Assini), and Dahomey. Export duty 

 is leviable at the rate of 7 per cent on the valuation. 



COMPILATION OF RUBBER GOODS IMPORT STATISTICS IN HOLLAND, 



In view of the possible resumption of the importation of rub- 

 ber articles into Holland in the near future. The Netherlands 

 Oversea Trust Co. has issued a request that those interested 

 should send a written statement, mentioning countries of origin, 

 of the quantities and weight of rubber articles, excepting tires, 

 which they have imported directly during the last three years, 

 whether for home consumption or reexport. In case of an in- 

 crease in the imports, this was to be stated, as well as the rea- 

 sons for such increase. 



THE NETHERLANDS EXPORT COMPANY. 



While war conditions disturb the normal exchange of goods 

 between Holland and foreign countries, this company, recently 

 formed at The Hague, will endeavor to provide for the exporta- 

 tion of Dutch wares, and promote the importation of articles of 

 which there is scarcity in Holland. The activities of the com- 

 pany are controlled by the Minister of Agriculture, Industries 

 and Commerce, who can order its liquidation when he considers 

 that its existence is no longer necessary. 



FOREIGN TRADE REPORTS. 



AUSTRALIA. 



A CCORDIXG to the latest statistics, .-Xustralia imported dur- 

 '^ ing the fiscal year ending June 30, 1916, rubber manufac- 

 tures to the value of $3,774,120, of which $2,314,935 represented 

 importations from the United States. These totals embrace tire 

 rubber, rubber-tire fabric, tires, tubes, rubber stoppers or corks, 

 rubber hose, bandages, elastic stockings, hatmakers' press bags 

 and rings, gas bags, soles, pads and heels, and crash mats. India 

 rubber, crude or powdered and reclaimed, rubber waste, and 

 hard rubber in sheets were imported to the value of $2,430,775, 

 principally from Brazil, Ceylon, Straits Settlements, the United 

 Kingdom, Peru, and Samoa; only $42,380 was imported from 

 the United States. Rubber thread, boot and apparel elastic, mas- 

 ticated rubber, syringes, and similar manufactures totaled $186,- 

 050. the United States supplying $17,140 worth. In the 10 months 

 from June 30, 1916, to April 30, 1917, Australia imported india- 

 rubber goods to the value of $4,397,150, but the share of the 

 United States is not given in the published returns now at hand. 



SOUTH AFRICA. 



During the past five years the imports of rubber goods into 

 South Africa were: 1912, £42,191; 1913, £35.603; 1914, £34,083; 

 1915, £325,338; 1916, £520,145. 



THE AZORES. 



Imports of rubber .goods, including tires, and automobiles, for 

 1916 show a marked increase over those for the previous year, 

 the totals for the first-named articles being $8,660 against $849; 

 while the figures for automobiles and their parts were $9,586 in 

 1916 and $7,852 in 1915. 



The United States share in this trade was : 



1915. 1916. 



Rublier goods and tires $260 $1,709 



Automobiles and parts 5,838 8,30! 



Totals $6,098 $10,010 



