Nov, ], 1902,] 
THE TROPICAL 
AGKICULTUrjST. 
333 
The Hon. Secretary then drew attention to the 
amending Ordinances No. 11 of 1902, and quoted 
the following therefrom : — 
Sec. 3 .^ub-Section (5) " a License to shoot at, 
kili, ciipture, iiur.«ue, or attempt to capture game, 
shall be suhject to an anual stamp duty of K3'50. 
Sec. 6 sub-Section {c). Any person who in 
contravention of lhi.s Ordinance or contrary to 
the tenor of any License issued to him shall 
shoot at, kill, capture, pursue, or attempt to 
capture game, shall on conviction be liable 
for such offence to a lineofKlOOor to simple 
or rigorous imprisonment for a period not exceed- 
ing three months or to Loth. 
In view of the lapse of time that had occurred 
since the alleged poaching it was thought in- 
advisable to re- open the question. 
A TEA COMBINE IN JAPAN. 
The question of a tea-combine seems likely to 
be revived in Japan. This time the idea emanates 
from the tea growers of Fukuokn, Kuniamoto 
and Nagasaki. So far the proposal is only in the 
initial stage, although a number of people are 
anxious to push the matter through. Willi this 
€nd in view representatives of various bodies 
interested in the tea business ha ve beeu holding a 
conference at 'Naga.sstkl.— Hongkong Weekly 
Press, Sept. 8. 
PRODUCE AND PLANTING. 
"The valne of TBAr COFFEE, and COCOA im- 
ported into the 
UNITED STATES 
in 1902 wag |87,426,0!J0 as against f 146,27.5,000 
in 1892, which is a great falling off," says 
"Tea, Coffee, snd Sugar" of New York; "but 
the figures for the present year are the largest since 
1897, when they were $1,000,000 000. In view of the 
tremendons imports of coffee the figure is sarprising 
for the year, but it demonalrates the lessening values 
of the staples from year to year. The coffee we now 
drink does not cost so much, nor (he tea either. 
Their quality, too, is not sn high as formerly. The 
value of the tea imported this year was little 
n excess of $9,000,000, whereas in 187.5 it was 
i| 32,67.5,000. Since then the population of the country 
has grown from forty to eighty millions, but the 
qaantiitive value in dollars of tea has decreased 
almost two-thirds. An inference is that the tea trade 
since then cannot have grown, and this, too, despite 
the enormous expansion of trade in the country. 
Coffee has done better, but the imports in 1875 
amonnted to $50,000,000, whereas the value of them 
for the fiscal year just closed was only $70,000,000. 
In 1875 the amount of coffee imported was 317,879.000 
lb, but during the year just closed it was 1,091,792,000 
lb, for the first time the billion mark was crossed. 
Our consumption of coffee has increased threefold, 
whereas the population has only doubled itself. Of 
tea in 1875 we consumed 65 000,000 lb, and this year 
it was only 75,000,C00 lb, which is a retrogression 
relative to the increase of population. 
The scene of the 
AUCTION SALES OF TEA 
.in MINCING LANE does not exactly represent an 
earthly paradise, and it is oftentimes suggested that 
there is room for improvement in the method of con- 
ducing the auctions. There are frequent complaints 
on this score, and quite recently a growl has been 
uttered because the buying brokers include in thpir 
lists of " bought-over " teas which they distribute 
among the trade those parcels for which selling 
brokers have accepted their bids. The Grocer, we 
notice, says this corcplacenco ia ridiculed by the 
majority of the trade. It points out that "as it is 
quite at the option of the sellirg brokers whether 
they accept or refuse these bids, it seems unnecessary 
to raise an outcry against the practice. No buyer is 
prevented from offering more money for any teas for 
which bids have beeu made, though the oriRinal 
bidder has the first claim, provided, of course, he is 
prepared to pay the increased price. In the main 
the owner gets the fair market price for his tea, and 
no doubt will continue to do so unless theiJe are 
philanthropists in the trade who are willing to bid 
above their fellow-operators in order to benefit the 
importer. With regard to crying off bids that have 
been made this has been an unpleasant and growing 
practice within recent years. The question, however, 
is one that rests entirely with the selling brokers, 
for if auctioneers would only show a little more back- 
bone by firmly iusisting on their decisions being 
carried out there would bp better order than at present 
prevails in the conduct of the tea sales. Where auc 
tioneers have hesitated and wavered in deciding who 
was the first bidder nothing but confusion and 
disorder have resulted. It would also be a 
good thint; if the brokers were to bring pres- 
sure on the importers to allow the buyers a 
profit on the odd chests that are sometimes 
withheld from a break, being kept back either 
for the merchant's own use or else for a ' friend 
in the country.' Frequent protests hive been made 
against this proceeding, and frequent promises made 
of the subject being bionght before the importer, but 
the outcome so far has been nil. Again there are 
o-casions when breaks of a hundred chests or so have 
been sold, although offers have been made of a farthing 
more and ' drop ' on condition that the parcel was 
divided into two lines. This means more money 
for the importer, but the offer has' not always 
bsen entertained, and it is a pity that some 
definite rule is not made upon the subject. Many 
invoices also contxin duplicate breaks of the same 
description of tea that might be bulked together, 
thereby saving time and the trouble of tasting an 
excessive number of samples. The trade are conti- 
nually complaining about all these mittera, and if 
they were duly recognised and provided for the 
procedure at the auctions would be characterised by a 
greater smoothness and less uproar than at present 
characterises the tea sales."— Zf ant? 0 J/a!7, Sept. 12^ 
TEA STATISTICS AND PROSPECTS/^ 
Tlie introductory portion of Messrs. \Vm- 
.las. and Hy. Thonipson's Tea Circular by a 
late mfiil deserves to be carefully noted :— 
Although good business is now being done the 
market lacks animation, and the news of light 
shipments from India has not received the notice 
it deserves at a time when deliveries for home use 
and export are steadily growing larger. Some of 
the buyers seem to be more intent upon discus- 
sing what is passing at the moment than upon 
making provision for the future, with the result 
that bidding at Auction is brisk at one time and 
langnid at another, while prices are subject to 
much irregularity. 
The movement, however, towards a high level 
of value for fine teas, accompanied by easier rates 
for inferior kinds, continaes : it is helped by the 
action of buyers abroad Avlio show much discern- 
ment and bid freely lor Indian and Ceylon tea of 
the best flavour and quality. Judging from our 
own information, they are probabiy rieht who 
buy fine tea when they see it and also recognize 
that when it is scarce the good teas next in order 
of merit become more valuable. 
