NEW ZEALAND MALAY RUBBER COMPANY.

North Otago Times, Volume CVI, Issue 13983, 20 November 1917, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND MALAY RUBBER COMPANY.

, ( Tho,sttoUuam»jaVropQ 4 > ofJhe New Zealand Malay Bubbor Companj states, intci aim l ' j*' M * It the l dpW* bulant&k profit aiiMOsVllias becn'tw ducodffrofy £>o22 fs%% £ll # L\\ and tlifit the balancVshoi't for tliUyW? 6n prcferenccr 4 shnrw which, Ml&tMl Ifls'hltfcbronglit'Jto account j. w''lnst' > oai 's s bnlance sheet, amounts to (This/ to' gothei 'withlnn/iuUher deciotlbm,, will, of courso, Ijo a'tirst charge on fntuic profits. Tho whole 6f thiP'nrchfninary expenses, (M 93 wilKbCwntten off at x thc end of tho current jear, 57,9701b of rubber havo been hm vested during the jenr, at an ill m cost of £4027 Gs 4d, or just on, Is 4fd per lb, i ligme which, though not at -ill ex tiavagant in the ense of a nen estate, mil be considoiably reduced uext ytnr. The lubber lis abovo was s,o!d for £C49B 17s Od, an n\crago of 2, Id pei lb, showing a net avciago profit of 10} d pei lb, and a total profit foi the jcii ol £l9Bl 9s 2d, i \erj s-itisfncifli) icsult ponsiilcuiifr the pnscnt lou price of niliboi Though it is an extiemelj dif (It ult mattti to niuntain n uniformly high standaid, the uibbci from om es tatc has ur) frequently realised tho highlit prne on the Singapore nni Ktt, i lac* which speaks lolnmcs for the skill and eflieipncy 'of, the manager and staff. The total number of trees on, the estate, at 30th Juno was 51,480, of which : 31,380' were being tnpped, ami the estimated ,crop for ( 1917-18 is 30,0001b, which, with ; a favourable ccalo'n, may bo considerably exceeded. Last -year's estimate wa's exceeded by nearly 800011). The estate employs from 150 to 200 labourers, mostly Tamils, Chinese, aud Malays, and 11 is gratifying to know that thi health of the working force is excellent, in spite of the many diseases to which workers in ihe tropica are liable, lb) Pinckney, of ftfedan, a well-! known authority on rubber planting, made a visit of inspection; and furnishoil a very interesting and N informing report. Mr I'iiickney says: "The general appearance of all the'old rubber is excellent, and shows that the soil is very good for rubber, and thar the output will certainly bo good, Posts and diseases singularly free. The average yield per acre increased from 921b in June, 191(1. to 2711b in June, 1917. . .1 was pleased with all I saw, and I can .'Oiigratiihito thi' dim-tor* on having n ■■pleiidid property, which,'under present Management, is bound 1o do exceedingly well," The estate was also visited by Mr Pinclihig, mycologist to the Rubber Growers' Association...ln his general remarks Mr Pinching' s-'ays: "The growth of the trees on your estate is excellent, and superior to the growth of Hie trees on many of the'estates in the Federated Malay States." At the last annual meeting a recommendation was • made to the directors o proceed with the development of a further 100 acres, but after malure considcratioiy and consultation with the agents, they wore reluctantly compelled to the conclusion that in ihe present unsettled state of business, shipping, and finance throughout the world, it would be inadvisable to increase our responsibilities till the situation is clearer. For similar reasons they are unable, to recommend any payments on 'account of accrued dividends, as- they consider it necessary for (lie safety of the company to first, of all build up a reserve sufficient to cany on, if necessary, for a considerable period, T-ho directors',consider that tlip-position of the company is now financially good, and they I rust that (he timo is'not far distant when it will be possible tn pay dividends, both preference ami ordinary.