No Modification of Export Dues Contemplated by Britain Washington, Jan, 27.
It is stated at the White House that the Government is favourably inclined to facilitating the establishment of a rubber industry in the Thilippines.—Reuter.
London, Jan. 26.
In a letter to the press, Mr.
ames Davenport, member of the Council of the Rubber Growers Association, dealing with the American manufacturers' objection to restriction, says that he has good reasons fon saying that the Colonial Office decision not to weaken the scheme is irrevocable. On the coutrary there is every indication that the scheme will, if necessary, be tightened up. The Association's delegates to America will simply heaz the views of the American manufacturers but will not commit the Association to any modification of the scheme. The Association will loyally support the carrying out of the scheme. Any proposal by the American manufacturers' for the purchase of thole estimated requirements for the next few years at u fair price, giving the proper return to the rubber investor, would ibe sympathetically considered.
In the House of Commons to-day, replying to Sir Edwin Stockton, Mr. Ormsby-Gore, Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, said that the system, whereby the amount of rubber which might be exported on the minimum duty increased with the rise of price, was felt to be a sufficient safeguard against the price rising to an excessive figure. Moreover, the very high export duties in Ceylon and Malaya, which would have a prohibitive effect as long as rubber was at a reasonable level, would cease to act as a deterrent if rubber reached the excessly' price at which it would be profitable to the estates to pay higher duties over the whole of their exports and not confine themselves to exporting only the limited amount permissible on the minimum duty. This constituted a second automatic safeguard, which, though it would only operate in the inconceivable event of the first failing to work suffice lently rapidly to prevent an excessive rise in price, would immed-lately satisfy all inquiries for: rubber which worked up the price.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.