307 
Rubber. 
As matters stand, the rubber outlook is bright with promise 
in the extreme. The Registrar of Imports & Exports (Mr. Stuari) 
in his Annual Report for the year 1904 writes in paragraph 60 
as follows : — 
‘•For the first time Para rubber finds a place m the returns 
and judging from the prices obtained, the industry, which has 
been largely cultivated in the Malay Peninsula, seems to have a 
future before it.” 
The forecast has been more than fully realized. On reference to 
the returns for the year 1904 the imports of para rubber into the 
Straits Settlements from the Malay Peninsula and elsewhere (most o 
which merely passed through to other markets) amounted to 104 
pikuls = 13,867 lbs. only, Johore contributing 21 pikuls, Perak about 
pikuls Selangor 44 pikuls, and Sungei Ujong 35 pikuls, while the 
Lports to Z United Kingdom, Ceylon, and Belgium amounted 
to 88 pikuls - 11,733 lbs. The years following show great expansion 
both in imports and exports. The imports in the year 1908 
amounted to 24.505 pikuls = 3,267333 lbs- and the exports 27,463 
nikuls 3 661,733 lbs., the exports exceeding the imports by nearly 
3,^0 pSuls Perak exported 1,453 pikuls exclusive of rail traffic into 
the Colony and Selangor 17,084 pikuls. while Johore exported W 9 
pikuls. Negri Semblian 4,008 pikuls, Pahang 72 pikuls and Sumatra 
East Coast 586 pikuls. These figures demonstrate clearly the 
enormous strides that this industry has taken in these parts within 
the last few years. In spite of the increased output this rubber, or 
as it is generally called plantation rubber, still forms a very small 
proportion of the world’s supplies. 
In May 1909, Port Swettenham became for the fist time a port 
of call for the homeward bound P. & O. Company’s intermediate 
steamers and the steamers of the China Mutual Steam Navigation 
Company, Limited, and of the Ocean Steamship Company, Limited, 
which call there especially for rubber. Prior to this date, rubber 
was shipped to Europe via the Straits Settlements at a through 
freight of 75 shillings per ton, but by the new arrangement referred 
to above, the freight on rubber was reduced from 75 / to 60/ from 
Port Swettenham as well as the Ports of the Straits Settlements 
which, of course, met with the wishes of the planters, as it saved the 
extra cost for freight and the unnecessary delay involved in the 
transhipment of rubber at Singapore or Penang The reduced 
freight did not, however, remain permanent. Towards the close of 
the year it was again raised by the Shipping Conference from 60 to 
70 shillings per ton of 50 cubic feet either by direct steamer from 
Port Swettenham or when transhipped at Singapore or Penang. 
