Tahiti Copra.

Stiff Export Duty Sought.

From Our Own Correspondent.

Papeete, Dec. 15.

THE commercial community is greatly concerned over a report, which ap pears to be well authenticated, to the effect that an export duty of 150 francs per ton is to be imposed upon all copra destined for countries other than France.

This is in order to secure more freight for the Messageries Maritimes vessels and, incidentally, may lead to an in creased reciprocal business with France.

The local Chamber of Commerce, how ever, does not appear to view the pro position favourably and recently held a special meeting to consider the question, when all but one of the members voted against it.

It is realised that while the proposed measure might conceivably bring about the results anticipated by the Adminis tration, its operation would react unfav ourably in other ways. The undoubted result, so far as the producer is con cerned, is that he would get 150 francs per ton less for his copra when selling to the local merchant, for the latter can never be sure, at the time of purchase, to which port the copra may be ulti mately shipped. This always depends upon factors not to be determined be forehand —the price of copra in France, as compared with San Francisco, avail ability of freight space at any given time, conditions of exchange, and so on, to say nothing of the fact that many staple lines imported into Tahiti can not be obtained in France.

Apparently, the preferential bonus scheme in favour of French copra pro ducers has been abandoned as imprac tical.