VISITOR FROM 'MALAY

Evening Star, Issue 22366, 16 June 1936, Page 8

VISITOR FROM 'MALAY

THE RUBBER OUTLOOK SOUTH ISLAND SCENERY CANARD “ The tourist agents at Singapore told me there was nothing to see in the South Island, and that all the beauty spots were in the North Island,” said Mr L. E. White, of Khota Barn, Malaya, who is on a three months’ visit to the Dominion, when interviewed this morning. Mr White is the plantation manager of the Dominion Rubber Company’s estate, and has just completed a comprehensive tour of the southern portion of the South Island including the Eglinton Valley and the new King-ston-Queenstown road, as the result of which he has revised the opinion of the Singapore tourist agents. “In he said, “ that district would be ideal for Malayan planters on leave. The scenery, sport, and clear air are all so wonderful.” The State of Kelan Tan, in which Mr White’s plantations are situated, is one of the unfederated Malay States in the ribrth of the Malay Peninsula. Its north-western boundary abuts on Siam, and it looks out eastward on the China. Sea. Khota Baru, the chief town, is connected with Singapore, 400 miles away, a railway which compares very favou. - olv with those in New Zealand, said Mr White. It is one of the most lonely and isolated parts of Malaya, and out of a total population of 362,000 there are only 60 or 70 whites. The State is governed by a sultan, with British advisers, and the administration is by means of a military police force. The natives are very peaceable and give little trouble,-while in recent years two members of the ruling family nave been educated in England. There is plenty of labour offering, said Mr White, who found little trouble in that direction. About 600 natives were employed on the estate and paid the equivalent of 8d a day. . „ Referring to the saving of time effected by the use of air mails, Mr White said that since Imperial Airways have been in operation there has been a saving of three weeks between Malaya and London, while recently a letter was sent from Dunedin to the estate in 13 days, the previous time being about six weeks. Besides the excellent railways the road systems were very good, especially on the west coast, being of tarmacadam throughout. The country is flat on the coastal areas but mountainous in the centre, Tunong Tahan rising to 7,000 ft. There is so little difference between the summer and winter temperatures that there are only two seasons—the dry and the wet; while the difference in the length of the days is only 12 minutes throughout the year. The temperature goes up to about 97deg, but it is not the heat that troubles the whites so much as the damp, humid atmosphere. Some time ago the lowest recorded cold snap occurred, the thermometer falling to 67deg. The rubber planters have been having a difficult time lately, said Mr White, owing to over-production as a result of extensive planting by the natives in the Dutch East Indies, Lately, however, the output has been restricted by international agreement, which has had the effect of putting up the price. When Mr White left rubber was selling at 7d a pound, which meant that they were just able to_ make it pay. The rubber output in 1935 was 416,891 tons, and by the international agreement only 65 per cent, of the total crop was allowed to be exported. Under this agreement the stocks were going down at the rate of 10,000 tons a month, and the potential output and consumption are expected to balance about ' 1940. After that it is thought that the agreement will continue, but that the planters will be able to export 100 per cent; of their crop. In area the two plantations which are managea by Mr White cover about 2,000 acres, and between 300 and 400 trees are tapped every day. Each is tapped on alternate days, the proce.j consisting of cutting a spiral incision in th» bark and placing a cup, beneath into which the sap drains. One tree will produce 61b of dry rubber a year.