THE NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES 273 



no reduction be made in the annual estate expenditure, 

 other items would automatically decrease; various 

 charges would fall to 1,250 or less, manager's com- 

 missions would be reduced to 200. If the European 

 directors' fees and office charges are unaltered, the total 

 expenditure for the year would be 18,925, leaving a 

 net profit of 2,225, equivalent to a dividend of 9 per 

 cent, on a capitalization of 25,000. 



The planting industry of Java has been established 

 for so many years that experienced estate managers for 

 tea, coffee, tobacco, sugar, cacao, cocoanuts, coca, and 

 almost all branches of tropical agriculture are found in 

 large numbers in the island. For rubber plantations, 

 however, there is a great scarcity of experienced 

 managers and superintendents. In knowledge of tapping 

 and general conditions in connection with Para rubber 

 there has been until very recently a marked lack of 

 competent men ; even now thoroughly capable men 

 ; are not easy to find. Of course this is only a passing 

 phase, for with the expansion of the rubber area and the 

 beginning of the production stage of development, 

 i serious attention is being paid to the matter, and 

 managers and assistants are sent to the Malay Peninsula 

 in considerable numbers, to learn the methods em- 

 ployed and the general conduct of the business. In Java a 

 Pew Englishmen and some Frenchmen and Belgians are 

 employed, but the majority of managers and assistants 

 are Dutchmen. The question of language is not an 

 easy one for the newcomer, for to be thoroughly effi- 

 cient he should understand and talk fluently Dutch, 

 Malay, Sundanese, Javanese, and in some districts 

 Madoerese. In several districts Sundanese and Javanese 



18 



