THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[f EB, 2, 1502. 
THE " THIRTY COMMITTEE." 
Minutes of a meeting of the "Thirty Com- 
mittee" helil at the Victoria Commemoration 
Buildings, Kandy, on Saturday, 10th Jauury, 19u3. 
(7-30 a.m.}. Present ;— 
Messrs A C Kingsford (Chairman); A Phihp (Secret- 
ary) ; Hon. Mr J N Campbell, M.L.C.; Hon. Mr 
Edward Roslinp, M L.C.; Hon, Mr Stanley Bois, 
M.L.C.; Messrs Gordon Pyper, BJgar Turner, James 
F Headrick, Hercules J S.ott, W Shakspeare, Walter 
J Smith, 0 E Welldon, R Morison, W D Gibbon, G 
H Alston, H V MasefielJ, W iTorfyihe, frank S 
Vowler, VV D Bosauquet, T U Buxley, James West- 
land, Joseph Praser, W R TKtham,R A Galton, Fred. 
Hadden and B Webb, (26 members.) 
(After Formalities.) Miscellaneous.— Read 
letter from Mr li V Webster regarding a new 
Tea Company for Switzerland. Kead letters 
from the Co-operative Tea Garders Company 
transmicting newspaper advertisements in 
Honolulu, America, Egypt, Malta, and Africa 
and sundry advertising matter iu connection 
with Mr R V Webster's vote, for pushing 
and advertising Ceylon Tea. Read letter from 
Messrs Rodewald & Heath, Colombo. Submitted 
correspondence with Mr Charles Stouter. Read 
letter from Mr O H Greenslade and from Mr W 
Wilson Smith regarding selling of Tea in Cali- 
fornia, Mexico, Arizona and the Mining towns in 
the desert. " Resolved : -That the Committee 
regret being unable to entertain the applications." 
Tea Trade in Annam. — Submitted correspond- 
ence with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. 
Members of Committee.— Read letter from 
Capt Cordon resignii.g his membership in the 
"Thirty Committee" in view of his departure 
from Ceylon. 
CORRESPONDENCE, &C. CIRCULATED. 
Ceylon Tea in America.— Letters from Mr 
Macltenzie to Mr Kingsford, dated, Cliiciiyo, 27th 
Octr>ber and Toronto 30ih October ; Montreal 
4th November New York 14ih and 7th November ; 
to Mr Kiiig^rd, Hanipstead 5ih December ; Mr 
PC Larkin to Secretary, Toronto 3rd November ; 
Mr R V Webster to Mr'Kingsford, 4i h December ; 
Mr P C Lsrrkin to Mr Kingsford, Toronto, 20ih 
November ; Mr Mackenzie to Mr Kingsford, Hamp- 
steacl 12th December, 1902. 
Commissioner on the Continfnt of Eu- 
BOPE. — Letters from Mr Renton to Mr Kingsfoid, 
doited, 2iid November and Bi riin 13ili November 
Buekebnrg, 27th and SOth November; (2) 4th 
and Stli Decpmber. 
Ceylon Tea (New Markets) Fund.— Letter 
to Secretary, fioni (ioveriinieat, dated, Colombo, 
29ili November, 1902. 
Proposed Increase of the Tea Cess.— 
Letters received by the Ceylon Association in 
London in reply to Circular letter on the subject. 
Conespondence received frorii the Secretary, 
Ceylon Association in London, showing the op- 
position raised against the increase of the Tea 
Cess in 190 1. —Submitted letters from Treasurer 
of the < olony. 
Ceylon Gri':en Teas Grant 1901-1902.— 
Mf-mo. of payments made at 15tli December, 1902, 
Amended Gieen Tea Memo, up to 15ih December, 
1902, in lieu of previous one with printers' error. 
FlNANCi'.S. — Interim Sketch "f Ceylon I'ea (New 
M-iikeis) Fund at ?,\, 12, 1902 subject to closing 
entries indicated.— Submitted Correspondence with 
National Bank of India. 
Ceylon Tea in America.— Letters from Mr 
Mackenzie to Mr Kingsfoid, dated. New York, 
17th and 21st Oct., 1902. 
COMMISS ONER ON THti CONTINENT.— Letters 
from Mr Renton to Mr Kingsford, dated, Stutt- 
gart, October 10th, Lyons, 20th, Orleans, 24(h, 
Paris, 26ih, Paris, 28th, and Lyons, 17th 1902. 
Ceylon Oolong Tea.— The process in Fonuosa 
described, ^printed.) 
Ceylon Tea in Afghanistan.— Letters from 
Mr Foley to Mr Kingsford, dated, Qiietta, 20th 
and 29th October and 13 h and 29ih Nov., 1902. 
Ceylon Tea (New Marki<:ts Fund).— Memo, 
of Payments since July, 1902 
Ceylon Green 'Ieas —Statement of lb on 
which payment was made during 1901 and 1902. 
Ceylon Tea (New Markets) Fund.— Sub- 
mitted letters from the Treasurer of the Colony. 
Governor in Executive Council. --Read 
letters from Government stating that His Ex- 
cellency the Governor had been pleased with the 
advice of the Executive Council to sanction a 
further expenditure of Rl,500, in presenting the 
Boer Prisoners-of-War who are returning to South 
Africa, with gifts of Ceylon Tea ; ana to sanction 
the following proposed appropriations from tire 
Ceylon Tea Fund of a sum of R470,000 :— 
Green Teas, 7,000,000 lb. at 4 cts. . . E280,00O 00 
America • .. .. .. 105,000-00 
Continent of Europe .. .. 76,000-00 
Administration Contingencies . . 10,000-00 
E470,000-00 
Ceylon Tea in America, Representative in 
America, World's Fair, St. Louis. U.S A, in 
1904 — Submitted correspondence circulated. Read 
lettter from Mr Wm. Mackenzie, dated London, 
19th December, 1902, in reference toCeyii n Green 
Teas. Resolved: — "That the extract from the 
New York correspondence be publit-hed in the 
newspapers." — Read letter and Memo of Instruct ions 
from the Chairman to the Hon. Mr William 
Henry Figg, representative in St. Louis, U.S.A. 
on a preliminary mission for report regarding 
the World's Fair there in 1904. 
Proposed Increase of the Tea Cess.— 
Submitted correspondence and discusssed the 
question. Resolved :—(l) "That it be piiblicly 
notified that the funds available are only capable 
of meeting the payment of a bonus at 4 cts. on 
7,000,0001b. spread over the year and tliat should 
larger quantities be made, say than an average 
of f million lb. per month, payment will have 
to be held over from time to time until funds 
are available fll) thatthe ''Thirty Committee" 
considers Mr Rutherford's proposal to guarantee 
a bonus of 4 cents a lb. for 1903 payable partly 
cut of 1904 funfls is extremely inadvisable (111) 
that Proprietors at Home be again approached 
through the Ceylon Association in London and 
that it be repiesented that in view of the out- 
turn of Green Tea during December, 1902 having 
been, say 700,000 lb. and the estimated manufacture 
for 19it3 (submitted in detail), amounting to 
12,000,000 lb„ the Committee would again ask 
the Ceylon Association in L'>ndon to consider 
the question of an increase of the Cess, 
and would push for an incease up to J a 
cent per lb. limited to eight months, 1st May 
to 31st Deceaiber, 1903, thus providing funds 
for the payment of a further amount of, say, 
5,000,000 1b, at 3 cents per lb, 
