"GOING SLOW"

Maoriland Worker, Volume 12, Issue 303, 20 December 1922, Page 14

"GOING SLOW"

x . ■ ■■■■ ■ . .. • .■ '••■"' " ■ .- •■. Rubber Capitalists Restrict I Output 5.. A CASE FOB THE WEEL-OFED. 3 - LEAGUE. : l .■ ■ . ~. After the Armistice, Government p spokesmen (says the British Labour Party's "Labour Press Service) were J tireless in preaching "more produc- „ tion" to the workers; now the Colonial I Office is giving official sanction to a policy of "less production." , The Committee appointed by 'the - Colonial Secretary to investigate the rubber situation in colonies and protectorates recommends export duties on a graduated scale where total exports exceed 65 per cent, of standard production, for which purpose they r take the output of 12 Months in , 3 1919-20, 'r -. ' KEEPING PRICES UP. . fc If, after three months, the price of " rubber has not averaged at least 1/----3 a pound the percentage of standard * production exportable is to be re.duc--3 ed to 55 per cent. t Should this reduction not raise the " average price to 1/3, the 'pex*centage * for the ensuing quarter is to be re--1 duced a further 5 per cent.; I - The Committee conclude' their re--1 port by Observing that; apart from * the financial relief that ktay be ex--1 pected to accrue to all rubber profc ducers from the scheme, the 1 discour- " agement It affords to more drastic I tapping cannot but benefit the estates i of those managements who are volun- * tarily or compulsoriiy associated with the scheme, and leave thorn ultimately in a stronger position than the estates whose.trees have been subjected 1 to tapping on an extended scale. " j RUBBER -GROWERS' INTRIGUE. The proposals are to be submitted 5 to the Legislatures of Ceylon and * Malaya. 1 iFor a long time strenuous efforts * have been mad© by the Rubber Growl ers' Association to. induce; the Dutch * Government to co-operate in a ca'- * canny policy, but these overtures met with a flat refusal. 3 -Now the Rubber Growers' Associat tlon claim to haVe induced British ' growers in DUtch colonies to agree to } a voluntary restriction of output. What will be the effect of this ca- ,- ---y canny policy t Rubber shares and dlp vidends will appreciate, eventually, but the British consumer will pay. J THE CONSUMER PAYS. ' Everything* into which the conipor sition of rubber enters will be dearer. Costly tyres mean heavier transport - charges: the consumer will pay. Aγ- ) tides of household use, such as babies* i teats, rubber perambulator tyre 3, hot t water bottles and a host o£ other comi modities will co§t mbre: , the house-. i wife will pay. ' But til© rubber caagr . nates will make, 'bigger . as they din theii'/'more prbdubtlou'- Stanl % into the ears of the toilers,