678 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[April 1, 1903. 
have to corigratiilate our.selveB on Uie very healthy 
state as regards the local market and I trust 
its extension will continue as, I think, it doubt- 
less will if jusiitied by the results obtained by 
those ofi'ering tea locally. As regards 
YOUR COMMITTEE 
the voting papers have just been opened by the 
Committee in virtue of i ale 8, and have resulted 
in the e'eclion of the following : — Bayers : Messrs 
llodewald and Heath, the Russian Trading Com- 
pany (Mr AnipenofT) ; Cro?<field, L unpard & Co ; 
Mr'F F Street, yeliers : Messrs J M Robertson 
& Co. ; Messrs George Slenart & Co. ; Messrs 
Widfctall & Co. ; Messrs Bosanquet Bros. \i'hieh, 
I think, is substantially the same Committee you 
had last year. 
THE ACCOUNTS 
are of the simplest description and leave no 
comiuenb for me except to point out their satis- 
faciiOfy cojulition, Tlio last matter— or practically 
the last matter dealt with is the 
NUMBER OF MEMBERS BELONGING TO THE 
ASSOCIATION, 
Avhich is 45 and, I am glad to say, there are six 
further firms wliich have been elected at last 
meeting of the Gommittee making in all 51 
members. On looking into the constitution of the 
membership of tliis Association— I took the trouble 
to analyse the constitution this morning — I find 
there are 5 brokers, members; 16 firms, who 
a-e solely and simply buyers; 9 fi'ins solely 
sellers and 15 firms, who are both. Now I have 
•no hesitation in saying the bulk of these firms 
are interested, both buyers and sellers are inter- 
ested, in every stage of the tea planting industry 
of Ceylon. It nevertheless occurs to me that we 
might with great advantage to ourselves 
BTIOADEN THE BASE OF OPINION 
on which this Association rests and on which it 
iormalates the requirements of the trade ; and 
I would suggest as the best means to this end 
that we should invite tlie Chairman of the 
Planters' Association and the Planting Member 
of Council to become in future as ex officio meni- 
-bers of this Association. I am sorry this did not 
occur to me in time to put it forward as a re- 
solution today at this meeting, hni I throw out the 
suggestion now as I feel it would strengthen our 
hands materially and keep ns better in touch 
with opinion upcountry. On the other hand it 
would enable our upcountry friends to keep in 
touch with the conditions of the trade in 
Colombo and prevent many misunderstandings 
arising — which, although, I am glad to say, we have 
succes.'Jully avoided tiiem in the past, we wish to 
give every facilily for avoiding ia the future. 
I need hardly point out, gentlemen, that we 
owe our 
PRESENT POSITION IN THE MARKETS OF THE 
WORLD 
to the unity, combination and to the heartiness 
with which every one— from the producer and 
seller to the buyer and distributor— has worked 
together in the past to put the Ceylon tea trade 
at tlie head and front of the tea trade of the 
world and I feel snre everything we can do to 
assist this policy will be of the greatest service to 
ilie trade in the future. With these few rensarks, 
I beg to move tlie adoption of the report and 
accounts for the year ended December ,31st, 1902. 
(Applause.) 
Mr S P Jeffery— (of Messrs Lipton, Limited).— 
I have much pleasure in seconding the adoption 
of the report and at the same time congratulating 
the Chairnian and Committee on the satitfactory 
year that has just passed. (Applause.) 
THE GENERAL COMMITTEE. 
The General Committee was formally appointed, 
the names of which were given by ths Chairnian 
in his opening speech. 
TEA TRADERS' HOLIDAYS. 
The Chairman :— The next item on the agenda 
is the question of the Tea Traders' Holidaj's for the 
present year. It is pro|iosed in accordance with 
our usual practice for the pist year or two, to 
omit the sales on 15th April and 30th Sep- 
tember. On December 16ih the sale will 
be held as usual and a supplementary sale on 
Decemlier 18th, closing the catalogue on thel4tli 
and making the first sale of the new j-ear on 
5tli January, the catalogue to close on SOtii 
December at 4 p.m. If you recollect some little 
time ago we decided that these dates should be 
settled at the general meeting, and I trust tiiat 
if you have any objection to these proposals of 
the Committee — they are merely proposals — you 
will take this opportunity of putting ihem for- 
ward, 
Mr Drury— (Messrs Forbes and Walker)— Mr 
Chairman, in connection with these holidays, I 
would like to suggest that we revert to the sys- 
tem of the holidays being settled by the Com- 
mittee—with the exception of one point — the 
December holiday. At X'nias last year a great 
deal of trouble arose which is still fresh in the 
minds of us all. I think, the Coiuniittee ar- 
range the holidays, it will be much more satis- 
factory. 
The Chairman— said that these dates were 
fixed now in order that they might be advertised 
well in advance. There was- some trouble last 
year in the December holiday, but that was due 
more to a mistake in regard to the closing of the 
catalogue. There was also the question of writing 
home, because if there was no sale their home 
houses would required to be informed and it 
might save telegraphing and other expense. 
The Committee would have no objection to under- 
taking the responsibility but at the same tiine it 
was discussed in a general meeting and considered 
these holidays should be fixed at the general 
meeting. 
Mr, Alston — (Messrs Whittall & Co.)— seconded 
the suggestion of the Gommittee as put forward by 
the Chairman. 
The Chairman :— I take it you are seconding 
the original proposal. Mr. Diury, previous to that 
being seconded, made a suggestion which I believe 
is to be an amendment — thai; the matter should be 
left to the Committee. If nobody seconds that, it 
falls to the ground and we deal only with the 
original motion. 
No seconder to Mr. Drury's amendment being 
forthcoming the original motion was put to the 
meeting and carried. 
INCREASED SAMPLES. 
The Chairman :— Before calling on Mr. F. ^• 
Street to propose the resolution standing in his 
firm's name 1 would like to read the following letter 
received from the Planters' Association : — 
The Secretary, Colombo Tea Traders' Associa- 
tion Colombo. 
