March i, i8go.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST- 
his Kelani Valley friend what he thought of the 
place, comparing it to the Kelani Valley. His 
friend seemed to hesitate about answering him at 
first, and then he said that the tea was not as 
advanced as the Kelani Valley would be. Then 
Mri Broadhurst chimed in that the tea plant did 
not come to a head so rapidly at Talgaswela during 
the first two years of its growth as in the Kelani 
Valley, but that afterwards it shot ahead splendidly. 
Another remark of Mr. Broadhurst's had also struck 
him, viz. that the low-lying ground on the estate 
might very well be planted with Mauritius grass. The 
labour on the estate interested him very much. Sinha- 
lese labour had its advantages and its disadvantages. 
One advantage was its cheapness. It required quite 
a different management to Tamil labour, and Mr. 
Broadhurst had explained to him the difficulties 
of working with Sinhalese labour. It, however, 
appeared to him that Mr. Broadhurst was the 
right man in the right place, as he appeared 
to know them so thoroughly, but he had come to 
the conclusion that if they were entirely dependent 
upon Sinhalese labour they might find themselves 
"up a gum tree." The two great advantages were that 
the expense was less, and they had no lines to provide. 
Mr. Shelton Agar did not think it was quite fair 
to compare the Kelani Valley two year old tea with 
the Talgaswela tea, because the Talgaswela tea was 
only 15 to 16 months old, and the very oldest there 
was only 18 months, so that it would scarcely be 
fair to compare two year old tea to 15 months old tea. 
The tea on the northern portion of the estate, to 
whioh allusion had been made, was practically only 
six or eight months old. 
Mr. Dick said that he would like to make another 
remark in reference to the water power on the estate. 
Mr. Agar was much interested, as they all were, in 
getting as much water as they could, and there was 
a plan to get water from a stream which flowed 
through the north of the estate. It seemed to be an 
open question whether the level of that water would 
enable them to do so or not. He would like to know 
what proportion of the power could be supplied by 
water even if there was an available supply. 
Mr. Shelton Agar said that at a previous meetiug 
they had decided that the water power would be of 
great use to the Company, and they should get as 
much dene by means of it as they possibly could, 
supplementing what was required by a steam engine, 
working the steam engine when the water supply failed 
Mr. Dick agreed that that seemed to be the most 
practical way. 
The report was then unanimously adopted. 
BE-ELEC1I0N OF DIRECTORS. 
On the motion of Mr. Hall, seconded by Mr. 
Walker, Messrs. T. C. Owen and G. W. Suhren were 
re-elected Directors of the Company. 
ELECTION OF AN AUDITOR. 
The Chairman said that the next business was to 
elect an auditor for the coming year. Mr. Guthrie had 
applied for the post, and the Secretary informed him 
(the Chairman) that Mr. Guthrie had been of great 
usefulness to him during the past year, and had 
taken a great inlerest in the aocounts. He had, 
theri lore, pleasure in proposing his re-election. 
Mr. H.-.Li. eecoi.ded, and the motion was carried. 
:JleUI.)> AN L.UT [DEB BE Af-KED TO RIPORT ON THE 
COMPANY'S PROPEl.TV ? 
Mr. Hall said he bad beoa asksd by a gentleman 
whose proxy ho hold to propose that au outside 
report be made on t ce Company's property. 
In afking this the gen.hinati whose proxy ho held 
de-sired to express no doubt at all on tun manage- 
ment of tho estate, or on the viaitii g agent's report, 
but ho thought it would be to the benefit of the 
Coinpuny in many respects lo have an ouuidcr's 
report. He had not much to say, as they had already 
discussed the matter in Committee meeting, and he 
would simply leave it in the hands of the general 
meeting to decide whether an outsider's report 
would be of .advantage to the Company or not. 
Mr. Walker had pleasure in seconding the proposal. 
Mr. Walter Agar proposed as an amendment 
that no outsider was required. If any of the 
shareholders considered it necessary there were very 
able men amongst themselves who could go down 
to the estate and report for the satisfaction of the 
Company. If a shareholder wished that an outsider 
should do it he could take an outsider with him, but 
at the present stage of the Company's affairs he 
did not think that it was advisable that they should 
incur the expense of asking an outsider to go down. 
He did not think there was any object to be gained 
by it, and they would only be wasting the Com- 
pany's money. So far as he knew they were all 
satisfied that things were going on very well indeed 
— [Mr. Hall : Quite so.] — and he proposed that no 
outsider be asked to report on their affairs at present. 
Mr. Shelton Agar seconded the amendment. In 
his opinion the Company's affairs were in a very 
satisfactory condition. They had 716 acres under tea, 
instead of 500 as was originally proposed, without 
having had to spend more money than they were pre- 
pared to spend on 500 acres. If there were any cause 
of complaint he would be the first to call for an 
outsider's opinion, as he was very largely inter- 
ested in the Company, asd represented indivi- 
dually the largest number of shares of anyone in 
the Company. He thought that if an opinion 
were wanted in regard to the estate, and what 
was being done there, that they had men 
amongst themselves who were quite capable and 
quite honest enough to give an opinion irrespective 
of any personal feeling in the matter. At the 
present stage he did not think it would be advis- 
able to have an outsider's report on the estate. 
The Chairman said that he must support the amend, 
ment proposed by Mr. Walter Agar. He did not 
think that at the present moment there was any 
necessity whatever for bringing in an outsider to 
give them an opinion. If the shareholders would 
like other opinions than those of the Visiting 
Agent there were many amongst them who, he 
was sure, would give a fair and unbiassed opinion, 
which would carry every weight. 
Mr. Hall desired it to be distinctly understood 
that he was not making the motion on his own 
behalf. He was quite satisfied with the report, 
especially as it was backed up by Mr. Diok and 
his friend the Kelani Valley planter. 
Mr. Walker said that he supported Mr. Hall because 
he had heard many remarks to the effect that 
it was desirable in the interests of the shareholders 
that they should have an independent report on 
the property. He also thought it was advisable 
that they should have an outside report. 
The amendment was then put to the meeting : 
7 voted for it and 4 agaiust, so that the amend- 
ment was declared carried. 
The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks 
to the chair. 
The Visiting Agent's report was laid on the 
table, and ih-j following are extraots of interest 
therefrom :-• 
Scad ntcunut i.iauted in nurseries runs i»a follows: 
maun els 
•9 </'„ { 4| from Messrs. D. Eil wards & Co. Singlo. 
^j.i | 'AS Sandison's ludigenous. 
£ -J 10 Alston--, Scott & Co's Indian Mtuiipeiri do 
a £ 5 Kirrieuittia do 
Summarising the whulo extent of seen hundred Hint 
sixteen acres under tea, tho aocount tor soed and plants 
