Price Of Copra
p. 54 · Read in the full issue
Proportion Token by Middlemen
A WELL-KNOWN planter of Eastern Papua challenges, with vigour and statistics, a statement made in October by a correspondent that the new copra prices were satisfactory. He says that the big traders and the shipping com panies are gathering in all the extra money being obtained from copra sales, and the planter is no better off than before the war. He quotes the following, as actual figures, in Eastern Papua:—
The amount taken by the “merchants and shipowners”, over 50 per cent., does seem excessive. If the middlemen were content with £1 per ton less, and the planter could thus get £1 per ton more than at present, the position in the South Seas would be very different.
Hot Air.
Smoked. per ton. per ton. £ s. d. £ s. d.
London price. Oct.. 12 15 0 11 15 0 In Aust. currency .. 15 18 9 14 12 9 Deducted bv inerchants and shipowners 8 6 3 8 2 9 Price in Samarai .. 7 12 6 6 10 0 Deduct freight, plantation to Samarai . 1 10 0 1 10 0 6 2 6 5 0 0 Deduct cost of bags 0 13 0 0 13 0 Net to planter .. .. 5 9 6 4 7 0