OUT OF THE EAST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 65, 18 March 1930, Page 9

OUT OF THE EAST.

NEW ZEALANBER RETURNS. TALKS OF RUBBER AND TIN. Having _ spent nine months in ' the Dutch East Indieo investigating some big contract jobs, Mr. J. T. Kinvig, of Wellington, returned to New Zealand by the Ulimaroa this morning. "Out there they are feeling the world depression, - ' he said in answer to a question. "Everyone seemed to be complaining, but business men more particularly. Personally I could not see very much reason for the complaints because some of the larger firms are still making 100 per cent. Really they are making and have made so mucii money that if they lose a little they squeal. Some of the traders have lost probably five per cent, that is all.

'"There is a depression in the rubber trade, however. In many instances it costs more to produce than the price obtained in the market," Mr. Kinvig continued. "The price when I left the East was 7id a lb, and it was costing 9d a lb to grow the article. There are evidences of a greater slump on every hand. Ihere are millions of young trees growing which are not yet producing. As a matter of fact they have not been tapped. When those trees commence to produce rubber nobody knows just what will happen. Negotiations are in train between the Dutch and British interests, however, to endeavour to stabilise the market. This combination, I learned, was in view of American competition."

According to Mr. Kinvig, tin had also slumped. It is one of the largest industries in the Malay States. He met quite a number of New Zealanders out there who are in charge of big dredging plants. The various companies' representatives had come to this Dominion and taken away some of the best dredging engineers in the Ota go district.