266 THE RUBBER INDUSTRY 



considered in Brazil to be distinctly superior to any 

 other species of the Hevecz. 



Land is held under long leases, seldom less than 

 seventy-five years, issued by the Dutch Colonial 

 authorities ; or in the case of semi-independent 

 Sultanates they are nominally conceded by the 

 Sultans, but must be approved by the resident Com- 

 missioner. The annual rental varies from is. 8d. 

 to 5s. lod. per bouw of if acres. A large proportion 

 of the public waste-lands is now reserved for 

 native plantations of rice and other foodstuffs, and 

 grants for establishing new estates for rubber or other 

 cultivations are difficult to obtain. It is, however, easy 

 to buy from the owners of existing leases, the price 

 varying from a few shillings to several pounds sterling 

 per acre, according to the conditions and situation of 

 the property. 



In addition to the annual rental paid for leasehold 

 a land-tax of f per cent, is levied on a valuation 

 made once in every five years. While this cannot be 

 considered a very heavy contribution, it must be taken 

 into account in all propositions for opening up rubber 

 estates. No export duty is exacted on rubber shipments. 

 The general revenue of the colony is derived from 

 duties of 12 per cent, levied on all important merchan- 

 dise, a personal income tax of 6 per cent., and various 

 municipal rates charged on house property and other 

 real estate in cities and towns. 



At the beginning of 1911 that is to say, three years 

 ago, at the end of the boom period the amount 

 invested in joint-stock rubber-producing companies in 

 Java was 



