Turning to the balance sheet, expenditure on capital account w Ch.$21,716.63. Of this Ch.$6,878.96 ent on the purchase of approximately 15 arres of mature rubber which jutted into the estate and Ch$2,577.94 on the cleaning up of this area and also clearing 56 acres of the area under coconuts preparatory. to planting it up with rubber in 1939. Ch.$6,295.26 were spent on buildings mainly on a new house for the subordinate staff and a new septic tank in the coolie lines. The only other large capital expense was Ch.$5,343.35 which was spent on a new water gate for flood control and a 1000 yard pipe line from the factory fo the manager's bungalow.
As regards estate matters. The planted area has been increased as stated above by the purchase of apximately 15 acres of mature rub-
This has had the result of increasing the standard production by 13.175 Ibs. to 475,920 Ibs. The 1939 assessment has not yet been received. The average area in tapping throughout the year was 680 acres which yielded at the rate of 433 Ibs. per acre per.annum. The quality of the tapping is reported to be satisfactory and there is a marked improvement in the nature of the bark and the condition of the trees in all fields and ample bark reserves are now available.
The supply of labour was ample throughout the year and the health of the force was satisfactory except for the Usual prevalence of malaria in this district. Wages were 50 cents per day for men and 40 cents for women from October 1937 to March 1938 and they were then reduced to 40 cents and 32 cents respectively till
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.