42 



However, I have seen sufficient of the labouring classes 

 in Ceylon to lead me to believe that that island will not 

 be the first to suffer when a shortage in supply occurs. 

 Nevertheless, there are many reasons why the Sinhalese, 

 in the south of the island especially, should be more 

 largely employed in general tapping work. They might 

 in that capacity prove very useful in years to come. I 

 know of one property where they are employed and paid 

 lower wages than Tamil coolies in more healthy 

 districts. The circumstances under which the manager 

 lives are, however, somewhat exceptional. 



Impressions ol Ceylon. 



I left Ceylon after seeing only a few of the best rubber 

 properties in the island. I had many opportunities of 

 ■discussing every phase of the industry with Government 

 officers, editors, planters, and business men, and my 

 previous convictions are still unaltered. 



I look upon Ceylon, in virtue of its climate, its trained 

 European and very practical planters, and its abundant 

 labour force, as being among one of the most favoured 

 parts of the East for rubber cultivation. Para rubber 

 cultivators have still a great deal to learn and forget, but 

 even now the cultivation can be regarded as a proven 

 agricultural success in Ceylon as in Malay. 



London has not heard much about Ceylon rubber com- 

 panies up to the present, partly because many of the 

 estates with old trees are in private or local hands, but 

 mainly on account of the trees not yet having attained a 

 tappable size. In two to three years the position of 

 affairs will be changed, for there will then be coming 

 into bearing several thousands of acres of which the 

 public in Europe know nothing. I am told that I shall 

 be much more favourably impressed by the agricultural 

 developments in Java and the labour and soil there avail- 

 able. My opinions on that favoured Dutch colony will 

 be duly recorded, but in the meantime I claim the fore- 

 going for Ceylon. 



It would be an idle task to name all the planters and 

 ■others who so generously gave up their time to me during 

 my short stay in Ceylon. To them and well-wishers I 



