55. Mr. MALONEasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many acres have been granted to Japanese and American subjects, respectively, in the Federated Malay States and also in the Straits Settlements; and whether he is in possession of information to confirm or refute the current statements that the slump in the British rubber trade has been caused to a large extent by the action of His Majesty's Government in granting such large rubber plantations to Japan and America that these countries no longer require to import British-grown rubber?
Mr. WOODI am not in possession of the statistics asked for in the first part of the question, but I have no reason to believe that the present rubber situation has been affected by the ownership of rubber plantations in Malaya or elsewhere by Japanese or Americans.