857 
COFFEE CHOPS AND PLANTING IN COORG, 
B. INDIA. 
(From our Oorrespohdeittl ) 
Mhucaha, 10th May. — I promised to let you know 
about crops in Coorg. Both the plantation and 
native crop has turned out equal to estimate, being 
somewhat above the average. The total plantation 
is about . . . . . . Tons 4,500 
Native .. .. .. „ 2,000 
Altogether .. .. ,, 0,500 
Few planters took advantage of the high prices 
ruling in September and October to sell for for- 
ward delivery ; so then crops, which are now arriving 
in the London market, are selling at some 20 per 
cent below the figures then obtainable. The rates 
now ruling, however, will pay very well, seoing the 
crop was good and the working of estates is carried 
on more economically nowadays ; shade also, with 
which almost every estate is now covered, has 
secured them against any serious injury from leaf 
disease or borer. The prospects for next crop are 
anything but satisfactory, the blossom showers 
having fallen very irregularly. Only in a few locali- 
ties has thero been sufficient. Over a large area it 
has not been enough for a fair blossom, and where 
it has been its effeot has been impaired by the 
intervals between the showers. Good rains within 
the next week might improve matters, but the 
minds of most are made up for a poor crop. 
The recent high prices combined with successful 
cultivation over the district generally has led to 
the opening of new land, and it is said that as 
much as 3,000 acres will be planted up this monsoon. 
GOLD IN THE SOUTHERN PROVINCE. 
( From a Correspondent.) 
I understand tlv arachchi who founl the gold 
in the Morawak Korale came in to Galle on Mon- 
day, bringing his finds, and showed them to the 
Government Agent and others. He had about 
4 lb. in weight of gold, the biggest piece weighing 
about 5 sovereigns, or say 12A pagodas, worth 
about R50 intrinsically. The Government Agent 
baa, 1 hoar, secured this for the Museum. The 
arachchi declares that very little has been found, be- 
sides what lie has in his possession, and he has sold 
none. He adds that for many ,>ears they have, 
when gemming, come on what ho now finds is 
gold, but threw it away, under the impression it 
was diyaratran (literally water-gold — ? pyrites). 
The arachchi states that he dug his all out of a gem- 
ming allotment of half an acre, but that it will 
not pay to look for gold alone ; the g?ms pay the 
expenses of working and the gold is profit, but 
you cannot rely on finding it. Ho states that Mr. 
Annitago found little or nothing, nor has Mr. 
Doiminico. 
It is roported here, that Mr. Armitago was of 
opinion that it would not pay to work the alluvial 
deposit on which the arachchi states he found his gold, 
but that ho thought the neighbourhood should be 
thoroughly prospected, as more has been found 
hero than in any other part of Ceylon. 
THE DEBATE ON THE TEA DUTIES 
embodied »o much that is interesting, including 
Mr. Goschen's expressed hopo to bo able to re- 
duce the rate, that wo give the detailed report 
from tho Loudon Time*: — 
On Clause 2, which imposes a duty of fid per lb 
on tea, 
Mr. Pit ion moved to lcavo out tho clause. Ho 
douitod oat that whenever a ruducliou of the duty had 
108 
been made it had always been followed by an in- 
creased consumption of tea. A wise commercial policy 
had convex ted tea from an article of luxury into a 
necessary of life, and his main objection to the con- 
tinuance of the duty was that it was burdensome to tho 
poor. Many people had to be content if they cotald get 
during the day a few pieces of bread and butter and a 
cup or two of tea, and when they had to live on so 
little it became a positive cruelty to tako Gd for every 
pound of tea [that ihuy consumed. (Hear, hear.) It 
was estimated that from one-half to two-tbitds of tho 
tea used in this country was used by tho labour- 
ing cl isses, aud this showed how much the tax 
on tea whs a tax on a necessary of life, and 
therefore a tax which must tend to depress the 
standard of comfort among the labouring classes. 
The tax on toa was to a considerable extent a 
hindrance to the progress of temperance. Peopie could 
not yet get a cup of good tea as cheaply and as easily as 
they ought to do, aud in miuy parts of the country it 
was still far more easy to get alcoholic drinks thau it 
was to got a eup of tea. The continuance of the tea 
duty was a huidrauce to the expansion of our commerce, 
and particularly with India, which was now competing 
with China in the export of tea to Europe. We had 
compelled India to give up duties on British manufac- 
tures; aud it was only right that we should show a 
little one reciprocity by giviug up the sixpenny duty on 
tea. (Hear, hear.) The contiuuance of the duty was 
absolutely inconsistent with all sound principles of 
taxation ; it was bleediug industry just when it needed 
strength. While reality aud realized personalty did 
not bear as much as it ought to do of the burden of 
taxation, we wero not justified in imposing such 
burdens upon labour iu times of peace. For times of 
war there were such things as war taxes which peoplo 
paid readily to satiate their savage passions. (Hear, 
hear.) It would be a good thing to show them that 
labour escaped certain taxes in time of peace. It was 
tlio business of the Chaucellor of the Exchequer to find 
a substitute for the tea duty if it were given up; but 
money might be fouud by retrenchment and also by 
the rectification of the death duties, tho reform of 
which would greatly strengthen our resources. He 
moved the omission of the clause. 
Mr. H. Vincent said that, as ho had explained on 
a former occasion, he objected to the renewal of tho 
tea duty, as it was a duty on a nou-competing import, 
which had become almost a necessity to the great 
mass of the population; He did net, however, pro- 
pose to move an amendment upon the subject now, 
because it was not a favourable moment. He trusted 
that in the coming year the encouragement which 
the Chancellor of the Exchequer had given to one 
branch of British industry would be extended to other 
branches. He congratulated the hon. member for 
Leicester upon his conversion iu r"spect of one prin- 
ciple at least of the fair traders. An hon. member 
who proposed that the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
should abolish the tax upon tea, coffee, and cocoa 
was bound to suggest how the £5,000,01.0 at present 
obtained from that source might he made good. In 
the hon. member's opinion land could be further 
taxed, a view which he certainly could not share. 
But the Chancellor of the Exchequer could easily find 
other sources from which to obtain the revenue which 
tho duty on tea at present supplied. Let him turn his 
attention to the absolute necessity of giving British 
labour the fair nlay which was given to labour in every 
other country. By adopting the principle involved in that 
advice the right hon. gentleman would not only < blain 
funds which would euaMe him to free tea, and probably 
tobacco and other nrticles, from duty, but he would give 
a much meded stimulus to trade mud employment m 
every part of the I'uited Kingdom. 
Sir (!. Cami'uk.i.l argued that the taxes upon property 
ou^ht to be greater, having regard to tin- hcav\ tuxes 
upon labour. In particular he advised the abolition of 
the tnx upon currants and ruiMiis. 
Mr. Ghav hoped that the time would come when 
the poor inau'it breakfast would be cheaper thau it w.vt 
now, ami when the duty upon tea would bo rvdtiood. 
Uu could nut, however, agree that the tiuauctal void 
