August r, 1882.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



131 



and Treasurer of this Association for tlie ensuing year, 

 dating from 1st proximo. 



It was admitted tliat tliere is a general depression 

 in the country botli as to tlie value of artioles pro- 

 duced here and also as to the stabilii> of mercantile 

 intprests espLci:illy as connected with native agiiculture. 

 Various reasons had been given, among tliem that 

 i>he sale of cinnamon chips lowered tlie value of 

 cinnamon and that the middlemen in Mincing Lane 

 had a hand in beating down prices. With this associ- 

 ation, and with the co-operation of Mr. de Soysa, whose 

 wealth, and connections in Europe were so well known 

 they would, he thought, be able to arrive at the 

 true cause of the present depression and be able to 

 find some remedy. Apart from those considerations, 

 new products would form an important feature in 

 their transactions, as they must find soire new culliv- 

 ation whereby they should be able to obtain an 

 adequate return for their invested capital in the mari- 

 time provinces. 



Mr. H. Van Cuylenbueo seconded and the resolu- 

 tion was passed. 



Mr. H. Van Cuylenburg proposed and Mr. Gabriel 

 DE Ceoos of Negombo seconded : — 



That S. Peter de Soyza, Esq., be appointed Secretary 

 of this Association for the ensuing year dating from Ist 

 proximo. 



This was unanimously carried. 



Mr. J. Martin of Chilaw proposed and Mr. A. 0. 

 Jo.sEPH seconded : — 



That the following gentlemen do form the Committee 

 of this Association for the ensuing year with power to take 

 such action as may be conducive to the interests of this 

 Association, viz : — S. Eajapakse, Esq., S. R. De Fonseka, 

 Esq., Jeronis Pieris. Esq., Francis Beven, Esq., S. Tambeyah, 

 Esq., Jacob De Mell, Esq., F. Schrader, Esq., J. F. Drieberg, 

 Esq.,G. W. Stork, Esq., Dr. W. G. Vandort, O.Brito, Esq., P. 

 Ooomara Swamy, Esq., Hector Van Ouylenburg, Esq., F. 0. 

 Loos, Esq., 0. E. De Bread, Esq., Dr. P. H. VanOuylenburg, 

 Simon Perera, Esq., John Clovis De Silva, Esq., S. 0. Fern- 

 ando, Esq., A. de Lowe, Esq., Gate Mudaliyar, Arnolis Dias, 

 Esq., J. ^Yright, Esq., Louis Pieris, Esq., S. R. Fonseka, Esq., 

 Jr., Juan De Silva, Esq., Mudaliyar, Gabriel Oroos, Esq.. 

 •Jusey De Silva, Esq., and Simon Fernando, Esq. 



This was unanimously adopted. 



Mr. S. E. De Fonseka, in moving the resolution 

 VIII., spoke as follows : — Mr. Chairman and Gentle- 

 men, — I have great ple.asure in moving the Re- 

 solution VIII. As a cinnamon grower on a small 

 scale, I also have shared, with those like our 

 worthy Chairman and others, the losses con- 

 sequent on a fall in the prices of cinnamon which, 

 as you are aware, now hardly leaves a profit on 

 the outlay. I have been regularly shipping for some 

 years past my cinnamon to my agents in London, 

 Messrs. BIyth, Green Jordin & Co., and they, in 

 communicating to me the result of the February 

 sales of my consignments, wrote as follows: — 

 " We regret to report that, with a large quantity of 

 cinnuamon brought forward, the market was dull, 

 and prices somewhat lower." Again in informing me 

 of the risult of the May sales, they wrote as foUows : — 

 '• At this Bule we had to compete with a large 

 quantity of cinnamon, ar^d prices were lower in 

 consequence. " I aru inclined to think that the large 

 quantity of cinnamon here referred to, is meant to 

 be chips. A friend of mine, whose absence on this 

 occasion is unavoidable, writes : — •" I am afraid I shall 

 not be able to attend the meeting on S.aturday next, 

 much as I should wi.oh to be present. I have 

 felt, how little we Ceylon^^se recognize the truth 

 that unity is strength, and I hail the form.ation of 

 a Low-country Products Association, as a first step 

 towards combined action in the protection of our 

 common interests." This gentleman has been at some 

 paius to point out, how the trade in chips has 

 contributed towards the fall in the prices of cinuamou, 



and I must candidly admit that the perusal of his re- 

 cent appeal to all cinnamon pl.Tnters, which appeared 

 in the press, some timo ago, induced mo and 

 the worthy chairman too, to rouse ourselves from 

 the carelessness of our own individual interests, and 

 to work up a course in which the will of all con- 

 cerned to co-operate with each other may at once be 

 set on foot, and for which purpose this Association is 

 intended. 1 am exceedingly glad to see such a 

 crowded house, indicating as it does that the natives 

 of this island, although improperly characterized, in 

 a certain quarter, as apathetic, are sufficiently alive 

 to their interests, and are not backward in atiything 

 of importance to themselves and their country ; and, 

 now that we have such a willing and powerful leader 

 as our worthy Chairnion, we cannot fail to succeed 

 in the steps which are to be initiated this day, to 

 avert the losses which attend our trade; I hope 

 therefore, gentlemen, that one and all of you, who are 

 interested in the cultivation and sale of cinnamon, will 

 gladly adopt the resolution: — 



That the Committee appointed today do take into 

 consideration the question of the large exportation of 

 chips that is now being ma'ie and which this meeting 

 believes has materially contributed to the fall in prices of 

 cinnamon and report on this subject to a general meeting 

 of this Association on a day hereafter to be name * . That 

 the wages now paid to peeler.s and other kindred subjects 

 do also form the subject of this report. 



Mr. J. F. Driebreg seconded. 



Mr. H. L. Daniel moved, and Mr. R. Schrader 

 seconded : — 



That the thanks of this meeting be given to the Chairman 

 for his obliging conduct in the chair. 



This was cordially adopted, and the meeting ter- 

 minated. 



TEA IN AUSTRALIA: THE DUTY OF 3d. 



PER LB. IN VICTORIA TO BE 



ABOLISHED. 



In publishing the following letter from our corres- 

 pondent, we can scarcely agree with him as to the 

 effect of the abolition of the duty. The superior 

 quality of the Indian and Ceylon teas will still lead 

 to a preference for them, and there will certainly be 

 a largely increased consumption : — 



Melbourne, 15th June 1882. 



The proposal of the Treasurer to abolish the duty 

 on tea has taken the Melbourne public by surprize. 

 Sir Bry.iii O'Loghlen announced tliis decision in Par- 

 liament on 30th May in the following terms : — 



"The Government further propose to sweep away 

 absolutely the fluty on tea (3d per lb.) : that duty 

 brings in an income of £100,000 per annum, I 

 apprehend that in this matter the Government 

 will have the support of the whole House, and of 

 the whole colony. The proposition is this : — 

 The full duty should be paid during the first 

 three months of the financial year ; that for the next 

 three months it should be reduced to 2d and for 

 the next three months to Id per lb. It pnictically 

 comes to this that in 9 months the duty will be entirely 

 abolished." 



£1 per ton a nominal fee will be charged for ex- 

 amination, &o. 



In this from such a measure would clearly inter- 

 fere with trade, and the Government must soon 

 have seen this, for two nights afterwards the Treasurer 

 came down to the House with a fresh proposiiion, 

 viz. to remit the duty "bsolutely on the 1st January 

 next, and in this form there seems to bo some prob- 

 ability of it being carried. 



Oa the 30th of May the Syndicate had another suo- 

 ce?<viV sale by auction of Indian teas, the lot this time 



