409 



The price of rani has fallen from over 4</- to 3/3, this we 

 think need occasion no alarm, no one we imagine ever expected 

 such high prices to be maintained ; and it must be remembered 

 that the very fall in price creates its own extra demand till no 

 doubt all rubber goods will be purchasable at popular prices. 



(d) Rambong Rubber. — Members are turning their attention 

 more to this cultivation : so little at present is known in practise 

 of it, that your Committee would not care to prophesy. At present 

 as far as is known the rubber is of a superior quality, but tapping 

 appears difficult in the case of young trees. 



(e) Getah Taban. — Since the last Annual Meeting this As- 

 sociation has approached Government as to the ownership in trees 

 existing in forest reserves belonging to Members. This question 

 has not vet been settled, as the matter being one which concerns 

 all the States of the Federation has had to be referred to the 

 Resident-General. Your Committee do not anticipate however 

 that Government will claim any ownership in trees which mem- 

 bers have taken the trouble to cultivate (i.e., clear round) as when 

 so treated they can hardly be considered to come wider the head- 

 ing of jungle produce. 



Labour. 



3. -Your Committee regret to have to state that labour appears 

 to be scarcer, more difficult to obtain, and more expensive to im- 

 port (owing to the changed relations of rupee and dollar) than 

 ever before. Members who have hitherto during over ten years 

 experience had no difficuly in satisfying their requirements now 

 for the first time are unable to do so. 



Even statute Immigrants it appears to be impossible to obtain, 

 one of your Members has given orders for these coolies to two 

 different firms, but in both cases the firms in question have de- 

 clined to accept the order owing to the impossibility of fulfilling 

 it. Under such circumstances it appears desirable that Govern- 

 ment should in conjunction with the various Planters 1 Associa- 

 tions appoint a Committee to enquire into the reasons for this 

 scarcity. From private sources we hear that recruiting of statute 

 labourers for both Mauritius and Natal is going on briskly in 

 Southern India and that prices for these coolies rule high : this 

 may be one of the reasons for the shortage, but it cannot be the 

 only one. 



Timber and Jungle Produce Rules. 



4. In accordance with the powers conferred upon the Resident- 

 General by the provisions of the Land Enactment 1807 a set of 

 rules under the above title were published in the Government 

 Gazette of February 28th, 1902. Your Committee consider that 

 it is a matter of regret that these rules were out whilst in draft 

 submitted to this Association and other Members of the com- 

 munity who are interested in timber business, as they might have 

 made useful and practical suggestions which would have tended 

 to avoid any possible friction in the future. 



