Feb. 1908.] 



161 



Miscellaneous. 



scheme is worth far more than the ex- 

 penditure involved. 



In conclusion, it should be mentioned 

 that this scheme breaks down the 

 barrier of suspicion existing between the 

 Government and the peasantry, and that 

 the stimulus supplied by it is not by 

 any means confined to the competitors, 

 for the effects are often seen over whole 

 districts. 



THE PLANTERS' ASSOCIATION OP 

 CEYLON, KANDY. 



(Extracts from Fifty-fourth Annual 

 Report for the year ending 31st Decem- 

 ber, 1907.) 



In presenting the 51th Annual Report 

 your Committee desire to congratulate 

 the Association on the generally satis- 

 factory conditions of the chief planting 

 industries during the year under review. 

 BRITISH IMPORT DUTV ON TEA. 



An appeal has been made to the Pro- 

 prietors of Ceylon tea estates by the 

 Secretary, Auti-Tea-Dnty League, for 

 funds to carry on the campaign for the 

 reduction of the Home Duty to at least 

 4d. per pound, at which figure it stood 

 from 1890-1900, before the additional war 

 tax was imposed. 



This appeal has re reived the endorse- 

 ment of both the Indian Tea Association 

 and the Ceylon Association in London, 

 and your Committee would heartily 

 commend it to the attention of all Tea 

 Companies, Agencies, and other Pro- 

 prietors in Ceylon. 



It is estimated that a subscription of 

 £20 for every million pounds of tea 

 produced would yield funds sufficient 

 for the prosecution of the proposed 

 campaign. 



A leading firm of London tea brokers 

 write in connection with this subject :— 



" It may be well to point out that 

 with a 5d. duty the annual increase in 

 consumption, which ceased during the 

 recent periods of high duties, has again 

 been noticeable. 



"There seems strong reasons for be- 

 lieving that were there a return to a 4d. 

 duty, there would be a still further 

 increase in the use of Tea in the United 

 Kingdom." 



LABOUR. 



This perennial question has through- 

 out the year engaged the earnest atten- 

 tion of your Committee. 



The serious falliug oft' in the number 

 of immigrant labourers for the year 

 ending 31st December, 1907, showing a 

 total of only 55,724 as compared with 

 an average of 103,000 during the five pre- 



ceeding years is strong evidence that 

 additional inducements must be offered 

 to coolies to immigrate to Ceylon if she 

 is to retain commaud of the free labour 

 supply so essential to the prosperity of 

 the Island. 



Free passages, increased pay or the 

 issue of rice tinder cost price, estates 

 bearing the loss, have been suggested as 

 measures to a,ttract labour, whilst the 

 institution of estate kaddies and the 

 keeping of individual cooly accounts in 

 estate Check-rolls are becoming more 

 general. The last named was the subject 

 of a special recommendation from the 

 London Association which was approved 

 by your Committee. 



The desirability of legislation in con- 

 nection with the unsatisfactory condi- 

 tion of a considerable proportion of our 

 present labour force owing to heavy 

 indebtedness, leading to irregular work- 

 ing and the increasing of bolting and 

 the repudiation of estate advances, 

 was considered by a special Sub-Com- 

 mittee in mi-official conference with the 

 Hon. the Acting Colonial Secretary ("Mr. 

 Fowler) and the Hon. the Attorney- 

 General. The resulting correspondence, 

 &c, has been circulated to all members 

 of the Association, and a resolution on 

 the proposed registration scheme is to 

 be submitted to Government. 



Your Committee understand, though 

 no official intimation has as yet been 

 received, that it is the intention of H. E. 

 the Governor to appoint a Commission 

 to go into the whole labour question at 

 an early date, and they trust that the 

 labours of that Commission will conduce 

 to a satisfactory solution of our present 

 difficulties. 



Planting Products : 

 Tea. 



Estates generally are in good heart 

 where cultivation and manuring have 

 been judiciously carried on, and to an 

 extension of these operations, made pos- 

 sible by the higher prices for tea, must 

 be attributed the larger proportion of 

 the increased shipments for the year 

 which totalled 176,117,016 lb. of Black 

 and 5,906,716 lbs. of Green tea. 



The season generally has been a 

 favourable one for yield, though most 

 districts suffered from a failure of the 

 usual November-December rains. 



Manuring and forking the soil has 

 made weeding a more expensive item 

 than two years back. 



Where Rubber has been interplanted 

 in tea fields, the age of the plants, so far, 

 has not had time to affect the yield pre- 

 juically in the generality of Low* 

 Country Districts. 



