4°9 
The price of Para has fallen from over 4/- to 3/8, 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. 
(i d ) Rambosg 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 cpiality, but tapping 
appears difficult in the case of young trees. 
(e) Getah Tab an. — 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 yet 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 under 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 
differeiit 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 iu conjunction with the various Planters’ 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 1897 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 tins 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. 
