Nov. 5.
Rubber restriction is again ithin the possibilities, and those with a stake in the plantation industry are eagerly awaiting the result of deliberations. now in progress. Official details of the negotiations which are believed to have been commenced are so far completely lacking, but enough is known to establish the belief that at) Tength serious discussions are proceeding between representatives of the three leading rubber-producing countries, Malaya, the Netherlands East Indies and Ceylon. How far they have reached or what lines they are taking has not been divulged, but the important point emerges that in the present instance it is Rot a cage of Malaya, playing restriction is insistent on the part of the others. The reason for this citange in attitude of the Dutch planters and the Netherlands East Indies Government is not far to week. It is at last realised that unless something drastic is done the industry will be wrecked for the time being, while the one time popular theory of the survival of the fittest has now gone out of fashion as unsound. A country such as the Netherlands East Indies is faced with a loss of income of about two million pounds sterling annually if the rubber industry goes into abeyance, and that is not a sum which can lightly be sacrificed, Over and above that the Govern. ment would have to face the problem of what to do with the huge body of labour thrown idle in Java for instance. As for the planter unemployment if not. rain faces him. Moreover, an event in no way connected with the rubber industry has hi him—the fact of Great Britai departing from the gold Many Dutch plantation had made forward sales sterling, and the number of guilders they will now get for their rubber will be decidedly less. than anticipated. Everything seems to have conspired to put the Government and the planters into a frame of mind to welcome restriction.
Before the end of the month it is hoped that the public will have been informed of the passing quickly and the state of the industry becomes worse daily. 'A quota scheme has already been laid before the Netherlands Minister for the Colonies by.2 working committee of the industry, this calling for a restriction of twenty-five per cent. as compared.with 1929. Under this scheme whereas Malaya produced 442,600 tons in 1929, under the' quota scheme her total would be 331,950 tons: in the same way Ceylon would drop from 75,000 to 56,250 tons: and: the Netherland Indies from: 259,000 tons 202,500 tors. The. total would thus fall from 776,-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.