119 
Mauket Conditions.- The period under review has Seen one of 
T l’ e , ln ? UStry at tlle beginning of the year was still 
nsrt of 1007 ™ n o “D,"* pnces which took P J «e during the latter 
1 - t ot 1907 , both stocks and visible supplies exceeded requirements, 
any freeXm^ ^ ® incImatlon 011 the part of ^yers to operate with 
frit-, Inn' ?r g tlleSL i mil ] ei d a gradual improvement wase steadily 
takaing place, and while m February the price of Fine Hard Para 
md receded to 2/9 (the lowest quotation for over sixteen years), by the 
Novpmh g ° Au f us 1 t at oyer lL ^ ev lb -> and in the middle of 
morp 1 leached 54 ‘-U whlch was the highest price recorded for 
■more than two years The marked recovery that has thus taken 
place m prices is clearly shown by the Diagram which will be found 
ov 01 leal. 
The statistical position is now on a sounder basis than it has been 
1° o. me considerable time past, owing not to any marked falling off in 
h?« P s leS ’J Jl i fc . fc0 ^ he 8 f eady and continual improvement in trade, which 
! lesulted m the absorption of surplus stocks, more especially in 
neghgible ^ S ° me m ° nths past stocks in warehouse have been 
^ The Position of The Plantation Rubber Industry has 
jecome moie important, owing to the increase in production, and in 
many instances a marked improvement in prepartion of the Rubber 
has been readily appreciated by buyers. It is satisfactory to note that 
some samples of Plantation Rubber have been pronounced to be equal 
m all respects to Fine Para, but on the other hand, in certain cases 
weakness and variation of quality are still complained of, and it is 
to a higher W y eff ° rt *° “ 3 * the ,tmdard of 
Ruhlwf IE f IES i < ? N I HE J' Iaeket -~ As l| ie quantity of Plantation 
Rubbei produced has been increasing varieties new forms and methods 
of preparation have been tried and a large number of different varieties 
have consequently been put on the market. This has led to some 
number of different forms and 
sorting h ° U d be leduced as far as possible consistent with proper 
'smmSrhnt’thfi 66 ^ aDd S - Crap continue to meet with steady 
suppoit but there has been an increase in the proportion of Crepe, 
moie estates having started the use of machinery. Though certain 
demdTo^ti 116 !^^ Si r etS apdBiscuits in preference to Crepe, the 
emand foi the latter has been well maintained, and very satisfactory 
prices have been paid for the more carefully prepared samples . 7 
The enquiry foi vei> pale pure Rubber which has been in evidence 
loi some time past continues, and premiums of up to about 4d. per lb. 
over ordinary Fine Quality Plantation Rubber have been readily paid 
mcieasmg quantities Up till now the supplies of such Rubbei have 
and th ! USe ? for lfc ma T still expand considerably, 
and there should be room for a largely increased quantity in the future 
\y 
