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3- The middlemen will not appreciate the rubber in the wash- 

 ed state: 



The middlemen must follow eventually the lead of the 

 manufacturers to whom they sell. 



4. That the manufacturers possess their own machinery for 



washing rubber and will prefer to keep that process in 

 their own hands : 



This argument is more subtle but on analysis is un- 

 sound. In the first place the rubber on which their ma- 

 chines are employed at present is jungle produce almost 

 entirely; the amount of cultivated rubber being quite trivial 

 in comparison. The export of washed rubber from planta- 

 tions will not decrease the amount of crude rubber coming 

 into the market, at any rate during the lives of the ma- 

 chines in use at present, and therefore as much employ- 

 ment for the manufacturers' washing machines will be 

 provided in the future as in the past. Cultivated rubber 

 will be an extra supply — it being ready washed will do 

 away with the necessitv for new washing machines being 

 erected, but cannot throw out of employment those already 

 in use. That rubber manufacturers will wish to keep this 

 process in their own hands is, I consider, improbable — it 

 is not in any way a secret" or specialised branch of the 

 manufacture, but is an additional labour forced upon them 

 in preparation for the skilled, and special subsequent 

 treatment. 



5. That the enhanced value of the washed rubber will not lead 



to an increase in price. This is an untenable objection, 

 open competition must adjust the price according to the 

 value. Also it is on record that one of the biggest manu- 

 facturers in England has offered 2d to 3^ above top market 

 price for such washed Para rubber; this question is now 

 being put before the manufacturers in England and a 

 definite reply is shortly expected. 



6. That the washed rubber may be wilfully adulterated and the 



manufacturer therefore will wish to keep the washing pro- 

 cess under his own control : From a technical and scienti- 

 fic point of view this objection is unsound. The appearance 

 of the rubber is sufficient proof of its having been washed, 

 and any added impurity which cannot be detected on in- 

 spection must have been added before washing. If the 

 washing on the plantation still leave that impurity in the 

 rubber, washing in the manufactory would also leave it, and 

 the manufacturer gains nothing by doing it himself. Again 

 it is far easier to adulterate the "biscuits" than it is to 

 adulterate washed sheet. Wilful adulteration will therefore 

 if practised at all be practised on "biscuit" rather than 

 on washed sheet. 



