3* 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [July 2, 1888. 
Son to appeal to the High Court, was upheld by 
the Council. With reference to the scheme of 
opening a large retail establishment in one of the 
first cities of America for the sale of Indian teas, 
the association did not see its way to give it sup- 
port, but the general committee were of opinion 
that some good might be done in pushing the 
Bale of Indian tea in Canada, if some arrange- 
ment could be made with the Canadian Pacific 
Eailway Company. The committee, however, 
disapproved of the proposal of employing 
the officers of the railway as agents of the 
association, as such a step would place the 
railway company in direct antagonism to all 
other traders in Canada. As to the scheme for 
opening out the American and Canadian market 
formulated by Mr. Allies, lately manager of the 
Teesta Valley Tea Company, a general opinion was 
expressed that, in order to carry it out successfully, 
it would be desirable to go direct to the consumer 
with a supply of suitable blends of pure Indian tea 
or of such teas as could be drunk without being 
blended in small packets. The funds of this 
association, unfortunately, did not admit of direct 
support, but the committee were agreed that any 
well-considered scheme would meet with strong sup- 
port from all interested. The terms offered by the 
Steam-ship Liners Conference for the carrying of 
tea, viz., £2 12s per ton with a rebate of 7s 6d 
to those who shipped exclusively by their, lines being 
considered unfair and one-sided, an arrangement was 
entered into with Messrs. James Hay and Sons, of 
Glasgow, to carry the tea of all shippers contracting 
with them for a term of three years ending with the 
season of 1889. The rate of freight was to be a net 
rate of £2 per ton to be fixed for the entire three 
years irrespective of war or any other contingency 
arising in the interval ; and on all tea landed direct 
in Butler's wharf a rebate of 2s 8d per ton was to 
be allowed by the proprietors of the wharf. It was 
further provided that these steamers should carry 
any persons connected with the business from Cal- 
cutta to London and vice versa (not exceeding eight 
by any one vessel, unless otherwise mutually agreed 
upon), at a rate of passage money fifty per cent, less 
than the British India Company's rates, with a mini- 
mum of £30 for eaoh first class passenger. It was 
part of the conditions of the agreement that shippers 
should make provision for the carriage of, say, for the 
first season, about 40 or 50 million pounds of tea, 
whereas in sixteen voyages made by these steamers 
they carried only 17,116,563 lb. This want of sup- 
port led to the steamers being withdrawn, so that in 
the coming season there will be no competition with 
those of the Steam-ship Conference. Owing to the 
unexpected increase of production of Dooars Gardens 
during the last few months of the season the crop 
probably exceeded 88 million pounds, as up to the end 
of March the exports to all places has been 86,699,870 
lb. and the local consumption is estimated at 
1,500,000 lb. The committee were able to report 
that there now existed a general completion and 
acceptance of arrangements under which con- 
tracts had been entered into, both as regards 
the Assam and Cachar Steamer Services, on terms 
considerably more favourable to shippers than those 
previously current. On the notice of Messrs. Begg, 
Dunlop & Co. a representation was made to the 
directors of the Darjeeling Himalayan Eailway for a 
reduction of rates for the carriage of tea by that line, 
but, in reply, the directors deolined to make any 
further reductions at present. A letter dated 1st 
April was received from the Secretary to the Chief 
Commissioner of Assam, bringing to notice a recent 
decision of the High Court, in which it was held 
that a contract purporting to be executed under Act 
1 of 1882 was invalid, owing to the omission there- 
from of the words stating the price at whioh rice 
was to be sold to the labourer, and also because 
having been made under section III. of the Act it 
had not, within one month from the date of execu- 
tion, being forwarded in duplicate to the inspector 
for resignation. Copies of this letter were sent to 
all honorary secretaries of the association for 
general information. 
The suggestion of the general committee to the 
agents of tea gardens to confine the working of their 
sirdars to the local agency of Babu Heralall Mookerjee, 
and the district labour supply, with a view to limit 
the number of agents and contractors in the labour 
recruiting districts, did not unfortunately meet with 
general support. From the answers received from 
district committees as to what alterations in the 
provisions of Act I. of 1882 would be necessary or 
advisable in the event of planters being deprived of 
the protection afforded to them by Act XIII. of 1859, 
the general opinion appeared to be that Act XIII. 
should continue to apply to coolies working on 
a tea garden, and it was unanimously resolved at 
a meeting of Cachar tea planters, held in May last, 
to protest against the report of the Act. It was also 
suggested by an experienced planter of Mungledye 
to strike out sections III. and 111 and 112 of 
Act I. of 1882, and the Aot made really an 
Emigration Act, which would enable the advocates 
of Act XIII. to ask for a Local Labourers' Act 
to be applicable to all agricultural industries. The 
power given to inspectors to examine registers of 
labourers kept on the gardens, and to muster 
all labourers and other persons employed was 
objected to, and the urgent want of a clause 
dealing sharply with acts of insubordination and 
refusal to obey lawful orders was pointed out. In 
reply to the communication from the Chamber of 
Commerce asking the views of the general com- 
mittee as to the proposed relief of the Biver 
Steamer Companies from certain liabilities attach- 
ing to them under the operation of the Carriers' 
Act III. of 1865. It was stated that the applica- 
tion of the steamer companies as to the alteration 
of the law relating to common carriers was approved, 
provided the change of law did no* come into 
effect before the end of season. But, as there was 
reason to believe that certain London representa- 
tives of tea property did not insure their teas 
being river transit and depend for protection on 
the provisions of the Carriers' Act, the question 
of approving the concession asked by the 
steamer companies would be referred to the Indian 
Tea Districts' Association of London in order to 
ascertain the views of that body. The reply of 
the London Association was against the alteration 
of the existing law. Tha Committee of the Chamber 
of Commerce, in addressing the Government of India 
on the subject, accordingly stated that, in View of 
the diversity of opinions arising from divergencies 
of interests, they felt themselves precluded from 
expressing any definite recommendation on the 
subject. Mr. Hannay, the honorary secretary of the 
Luckimpur local committee appealed to the Deputy 
Commissioner against the order of the Income Tax 
Collector levying tax on commissions earned by 
managers on the profits of tea gardens. The matter 
was referred to the solicitors of the association, who 
held that no appeal to the High Court would lie 
against the decision of the Deputy Commissioner. 
They advised the association to address the Go- 
vernment on the subject of the levying of such tax. 
This course was taken, but no definite reply had 
been received. The following reply was received 
from the Chief Commissioner of Assam with respect 
to the representation of the association and on the 
draft settlement rules for the province of Assam : — 
" As regards the rights of settlement-holders over 
