RUBBER TO SUPPLANT BANANAS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1666, 25 January 1917, Page 4

RUBBER TO SUPPLANT BANANAS.

XIAV FIJIAN LNIU'STUV. A mild rnhher bourn i- taking place in Fiji ai ike present lime f-ays the Sava correspondent of tin- New Zealand Herald). Rubber appear- a- a very small, though largely increasing item in ike list of products exported from Fiji, hut, judging hy the area which ha- been planted out in the Rewa district within half a dozen miles from Suva, il will figure very eoiispieuonslv in live or -iv V ears' time.

A niimher of Fiji's prominent men of commerce are planting rithher aniongst their bananas, tlie idea being that as soon a- the rubber trees reach a certain -i/.e the hauaiiawili he dug mil. The laud has been planted with young trees supplied from one of (he plantations controlled by Mr F. F. Powell, of Suva, ami all the plant a I ions referred to are making -plemlid progress. h i.- e-l limited that planting mil rubber now with tiie-e young iree.gives an advantage of ipiite iwo yea i- nver the original pioneer.-, who had to import, (heir seed from Ceyltm. ant! (hey .-uheretl heavily hy tile large proportion of -eed that tailed to germinate. il should be understood that rubber plaining is a rich man's venture. The land is obtainable after the surmounting of eonsuieruhlc diilieullie- in the way of the redde.-t of red tape, and ar-

raugemenls, which may lake lime, have to he made for the importation of Indian labourers. The eo-i of bringing these men into the country is increasing, ami will continue to increase. The latest figure -hows that for the ten months ended October .'Hst the value of the rubber exported from Suva wa.- T(i.(iß4, as compared with iA’.lhiti for the corresponding period of 1015.