SECRET REBATES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 294, 5 September 1908, Page 5

SECRET REBATES.

UNFAIR TRADING. STRAITS SETTLEMENT COMPLAINT. FOREIGNERS FAVOURED. (bt lELEGßArn—rnEss association—corxniGirr i (Rcc. September 4, 11.12 p.m.) London, September 4. Captain A. 11. Young, Colonial Socrotary of tho Straits Settlement, in his annual report brings a strong indictment against the Shipping Conference. Tho increase in freight during tho year was £164,000, and £28,f100 yearly is granted in secret rebates favouring a small number of firms, the majority of them being foreign. Tho result is that 23,851 tons of Imperial trade has been diverted to tho European Continent. British tramps are being ousted. An agitation is now being begun for legislation to abolish secret rebates. TRADE OF THE SETTLEMENTS. The Straits Settlements is a Crown colony, Major-General T. Perrott being Governor (salary .£0000), and Captain A. H. Young, Colonial Treasurer (salary .£1706). The ports are wholly free from duties on imports or exports, nor aro tonnage dues lovied for general purposes, and tho only tax to which shipping is liable consists of a very moderate one of 1 anna per ton register, in support of tho abundant lighthonses on tho coast.

The chief exports comprise tin, sugar, pepper, nutmeg, mace, sago, tapioca, rice, buffalo hides, and bones, rattans, gutta, india-rubber, gambier, gum, coffee, dyestufls, tobacco, etc. Of theso tho only articles produced to any considerable oxtent in tho colonj'i. are tapioca and rice (chiefly in Malacca and Prov. Welleslcy); and sugar (in Prov. AVfillesley). 'l'ho quantities of some of tho exports* in 1908 were approximately:—Coffee, 62,000 piculs: gambier, 655,000 piculs; principal gums, 526,000 piculs; principal spices, 1,331,000 piculs; tapioca, 711,000 piculs; tin, 093,000 piculs; copra, G85.000 pieuls; rattans, 445,000 piculs; preserved pineapples, 707,000 cases; and sago, 840,000 • piculs. The chief imports' are coal, cotton, opium, hardware, and provisions.' The quantities imported in 1!)08 were: —Cotton piece goods, 5,408,218 pieces; coal, 754,000 tons; rice, 7,570,000 piculs; opium, 12,658 chests; silk piece goods/ 230,000 pieces; petroleum (oases of 651b.), 1,243,000 cases; sarongs (corges of 20 pieces), 304,000 corges; fish (dry and salted), 927,000 piculs; tobacco, 123,000 piculs; tin ore, 874,000 piculs; wheat flour, 461,000 piculs. The main trade is with the United Kingdom, India, Hong Kong, the United States, tho Dutoh Indies, Siam, and the Native States. Singapore and Georgetown (Ponang) are ports of registry; Singapore had, on December 31, 1906, 736 vessels registered, of a total tonnage of 85,749 tons.