Small Production Being
p. 23 · Read in the full issue
Samoan Rubber
Small Production Being Increased
rE general manager of the New Zea land Reparation Estates, Mr. D. R.
Eden, in a press interview in Nov ember, denied that the production of rubber in Samoa had been steadily fall ing off over the last decade —on the con trary, he stated that it had been increasing. The actual yield in 1935-36 svas 97,110 lb. and in 1941-42 it was 173,157 lb.—with further increases ex pected this next year.
Mr. Eden said that when Samoa was occupied by the New Zealanders in 1914, all German estates were taken over by the Government. These estates had included two rubber plantations, together covering an area of 880 acres, which were fully planted. Subsequently, another plantation of 500 acres was acquired; but when the price of rubber fell below pro duction costs in 1928, the three planta tions were abandoned. In 1935, cultiva tion and tapping were renewed, but it was found then that in the intervening years some disease had attacked the roots of the trees.
After the outbreak of the Second World War, Reparation Estates leased a private estate containing 15,000 trees,
which were brought into bearing after a great deal of difficulty.
At the present time there are 46,500 rubber trees on the Estates, and there are many other rubber-bearing trees growing wild—but these wild trees can not be tapped because of the labour shortage.