602 tHE TROPICAL AGlKlCtJLttJEiST. [March 2, 1903. 
tiou of the road having been constructed, more speedy 
progress will be made with the remaining section, 
where the work to be done is comparatively easy; 
and that the entire road will be open for traffic 
before the close of the present year. 
The olfloials concerned are to be congratulated 
on the excellfnt construction of the first com- 
pleted mile. 
GovEBNMENT BUILDINGS. — A palatial set of pioneer 
lines and an overseer's bungalow have been erected 
on the Government reserve in Stubton estate. Your 
Committee fear that this work has been done 
somewhat at the expense of that section of the 
cart-road above the Bulatota, Pass, which is to be 
gravelled instead of metalled from lat Jauuary, 1903. 
A new Post Office of ornate and substantial 
appearance has been built in Bakvv.ana during the 
]3ast year, and great credit is due to the Provincial 
iiiQgineer for the expeditious way in which the work 
has been carried out. 
i.<AKwANA BospiTAL. — The addition to the female 
ward was completed and opened during the past 
year, and is found of great use and benefit. 
Dr. Wm. 0 Pieris, the late D. .M. O., left the 
district early in the year, and was succeeded by 
Dr. T Ohlmua as Medical Officer at the Kakwana 
Hospital. 
GoDAKAWELA FiELD HOSPITAL. — Your Committee 
regret to state that there appears to be an inclina- 
tion on the part of Government to close the above 
hospital and to transfer its patients — mostly cases 
of " parangi " and malarial fever— to the District 
Hospital at Rakwana, where it is proposed to 
erect two separate wards for the treatment of 
" parangi " cases. 
Your Committee have protested strongly against 
this proposal, and will continue to do so, until 
Government see the advisability of giving up the 
idea, and continuing to, either keep up the present 
Field Hospital at Qodakawela, or to build the pro- 
posed two new wards at Palawela, which is far 
more centrally situated. 
Annual Certificate :— Factory Machinehy In- 
spection,— Your Committee regret to inform you 
that no defiuite reply as yet been received from 
Government to the resolution on above subject 
passed at the general meeting of this Association 
held on July 5ih, 1902, which resolution was eent 
in to Government on the 21st July last. All the 
reply vouchsafed up to the present has been that 
" the revision of the new rules "was still " under 
the consideration of Government." 
EiViLWAY Extension to Batnapura.— Your Com- 
mittee have much pleasure in informing you that 
the sum of R25,l)00 has been voted in the Supply 
Bill of 1903 for the suivey of the proposed exten- 
sion of the Kelani Valley Railway to Ratnapura. 
The surveyors are already at work, and it is 
reasonable to suppose that the survey will be 
completed in about eight months from now, which 
will be about the time that the last section of the 
Kelani Valley Railway will be opened to Yatiyan- 
tota, so that no delay should take place in moving 
the plant and engineering and working staff on to 
the new extension. Your Committee think it would 
be a graceful act on the part of His Excellency 
the Governor, and the crowning point ,to his hitherto 
uniform progressive policy, to announce to us be- 
fore he leaves the island towards the end of this 
year that the Ratnapura Railway has been sanctioned, 
and will shortly be commenced. 
Colombo-Rakwana and Balanooda Mail Service. — 
Your Committee consider that the thanks of this 
Association are due to the Postmaster-General tor so 
promptly acceding to their wishes in providing the 
two districts with a throuijh mail and passenger service 
to and from Colombo in the one day. 
The discontinuance of the Sunday coach, however, 
is felt to be a great deprivation and inconvenience, but 
it is hoped that steps will soon be taken to have it 
ji;eiasta<ted, 
KelAj!)! Valley Railway Time-Table.— Yonr Com- 
mittee regret that no alteration has as jet been made 
iu the above time-table, in order to enable the coach 
to leave Avissawella and arrive at Rakwaua at an 
earlier hour tiian it does at present, and to also 
obviate the necessity of the return coach leaving fiak- 
wana at such an early hour as 5 a.m. 
Your Committee intend to continue to press the mat- 
ter, and are in hopes that the General Manager will be 
induced, before long, to make the required slight 
alteration in the present Railway time-tabie. 
Appointment of Resident iIeadman at the Vil- 
lage OP Ittakande, — Your Committee are pleased to 
inform you that, at the request of this Association, 
Government were pleased to appoint a Resident Peace 
Officer to the village of Ittakanue — a very desiiable and 
necessary appointment. 
Labour Supply, — Your Committee are of opinioa 
that the labour supply of the district is totally in- 
adequate to present requirements, and regret to note 
that coolies are not coming in from the Coast as iu 
former years. 
There appears to be a tendency on the part of plan- 
ters to draw tbeir supplies from other estates, and 
there are some Companies who are still giving out 
unlimited advances, which tends to demoralise labour, 
and to discourage legitimate recruiting from the Coast. 
Advances. — Your Committee regret that, owing to 
the scarcity of labour from the Coast, advances have 
shown an upward tendency, but that, compared with 
some other districts, the average rate per head is 
fairly moderate. 
Tin-Ticket System. — Yonr Committee are of opinion 
that thjs system is not workable in a district like 
Rakwana, which is 64 miles from the nearest railway 
station. When the railway is extended to Ratnapura 
there will be some chance of the system finding favour 
in this district. 
Weather.— The past year has been an abnormally 
wet one, and most estates in the district are, iu con- 
sequence, short of their estimates. 
Health.— The general health of the coolies in the 
district has been fair, and the mortality normal, and 
there has been a complete immunity from all serious 
epidemic diseases, 
Helopeltis. — It is much to be regretted that this 
pest has proved very rampant throughout the district 
during the past year, and that it appears to be increas- 
ing in virulence year by year. 
Rice. — Rates of rice throughout the year under 
review, though somewhat high, have been unusually 
even. The moijthly rates laid down by this Associa- 
tion have been adhered to, and accepted by the 
Chetties. 
Cart Hire, — The rates of cart hire to and from 
Colombo remain the same. 
Accounts for 1902. — The accounts for the past year 
have been submitted by the Honorary Secretary, and 
your Committee are pleased to inform you that the 
balance standing at the credit of the Association ou 
the 31st December, 1902, is R177'05. 
Outlook for the New Year.— Your Committee 
are gratified to note the better tone apparent iu the tea 
market, and are confident that, if the warning note re 
cnane plucJcingl&tely sounded by the Tea and Produce 
Committee of the Ceylon Association in London, is 
heeded by all those concerned— especially Colombo 
Agents and V. A.'s— a bright future should be in store 
for the industry. 
The increased manufacture of green teas being 
another factor towards enhancing the value of blacks, 
and thus restoring the industry to its former position, 
should be strenuously encouraged. 
Your Committee, therefore, consider that Govern- 
ment ought to be asked to come to the rescue in pro- 
viding the " Thirty Committee " with sufficient funds 
to make up the deficit in the green tea bonus of 1903— a 
step which would not only directly help on the plant- 
ing enterprise, but which would also prove indirectly 
beneficial to the Qqlouj at large, ' 
