April 1, 1903.] THE TKOPICAL AaRICULTURiSl\ 
683 
Mr. A K A Heath— seconded the resolution. 
He thought if the shipping Companies could be 
induced to make the alteration in the present 
clause and allow 129 lb gross instead of as pre- 
viously 100 lb net it would be a distinct advan- 
tage Irom a buyers point of view and he could 
not see that looking at it from the planters point 
of view there could be any objection to it. He 
understood that the shipping Companies might 
consider the matter fav(»urably it bri ught before 
them by that Association, and, therefore, he 
seconded the resolution. 
Mr. Hercules Scott— said they had heard a 
gieat deal on that matter lately which all went 
to attempt to popularise the Veuesta Chest. Some 
of them were, perhaps, not aware that the matter 
was very fully discussed last September at a 
Committee meeting of that Association, and in 
January last it was brought up in a Committee 
meeting of the Chamber of Commerce and a reso- 
lution was unanimously passed at both meetings, 
condemning the principle of this resolution. If he 
had their permission, he might read the resolution 
passed by the Committee. Proceeding Mr. Scott 
read the minute of the Committee meeting with 
regard to this matter and went on to say that 
at the Chamber of Commerce meeting in January 
over a month ago that resolution came before 
them and was unanimously condemned. He 
hardly thought that the annual general meeting 
of that Association should upset the decision of 
both their own Committee and that of the Chamber 
of Commerce. The Colombo Commercial Company 
were, as they were well aware, agents for the 
Venesta Tea Packages and he thought Mr. War- 
drop would agree Avith him that the primary 
object of the resolution was to push the sale of 
Venesta tea packages. That, from the Colombo 
Commercial Company's point of view was quite 
right, but he thought it was different for the 
Tea Traders' Association to come forward and 
give a gratuitous advertisement to a package 
which is protected by patent. After alluding to 
the difficulties that would arise in repacking, &c,, 
were the resolution adopted, Mr. Scott went on 
to say that he was told several present were to 
vote for the resolution just to give free trade in 
patent boxes. If they admitted the Venesta chest 
into general use, what was to prevent the makers 
of them doubling the price ? They were protected 
by patent. If the Venesta chest became univer- 
sal, they put the whole situation in the maker's 
hands. 
Mr. W E Mitchell :— I think the Venesta 
Company have the remedy in their own hands if 
they make a package that will hold 1001b. 
(Hear, hear.) 
Hon. Mr J N Campbell— said he had great 
pleasure in supporting the motion put forward by 
the Colombo Commercial Company. He had to 
say he was very much surprised and astonished 
when he heard the Committees oi the two Asso- 
ciations had agreed to have nothing to do with 
the proposal that that alteration should be 
made on the Bills of Lading. Mr Hercules Scott's 
remarks had been entirely a diatribe against the 
Venesta package and in favour of the Monii chest. 
He (Mr Campbell) was not in any Way interested 
in the Venet-ta packages. He had nothing to do 
with the Veuesta Company and he was not a 
shareholder in it, but he did use for the London 
iuarket a large number of Venesta packages and 
§6 
be was always very well satished with them, 
Theie was no free trade in packages in Colombo. 
They were not allowed to ship more than lOOlb. 
in one package to Australia. Why should they 
not be allowed to use any package they liked ? 
He did not know why there should be any difier- 
ence in what was packed for London and for 
Australia. Why should there be a limit in the 
quantity packed to Aubtialist? There was no 
limit in the quantity packed to London. It had 
always been said by the shipping Companies when 
they were approaclied "Let ihe trade approach us 
anct then we may consider the matter. As long as 
the Traders' Association is against the change we 
will take no action." He asked that the Traders' 
Association should now give the-.n an opportunity 
to put all boxes on an equal footing. (Hear, hear.) 
Mr Scott— repudiated the suggestion made by 
Mr Campbell that his remarks were a diatribe 
against the Venesta packages in favour of the 
Moiui. The great proportion of their teas were 
packed in country wood. He had no interest in the 
Momi chest and held no brief for them. 
Mr Ampenoff— said that the Company he 
represented had been trading with (^eylon for the 
past four or five years. Their experience was 
that tea packed in the ordinary boxes arrived 
broken and half the tea lost and his Company had 
given him instructions that the tea he bought now 
was to be packed in Venesta packages which they 
found strong and serviceable. He could not see 
why objections had been raised to the Venesta 
Chests. ]tiussian buyers — 
Mr Scott ;— May I rise to a point of order ? 
This is not a question of shipments to Russia ; it 
is a question of shipments to Australia. 
Mr Ampenoff— resumed his seat. 
Mr Wardkop— in reply — said he had nothin? to 
add further than that he was equally interested 
in Momi boxes as in Venestas and all he wanted 
to see was free trade in tea boxes, What they 
were aiming at there that day was to forward the 
interest of the Tea Traders. 
The Chairman— said he would only say one 
word, in regard to what fell from Mr Scott, and 
that was that although the Committee of the 
Chamber of Commerce or that Association had 
decided against this, it was not prima Jacie evid- 
ence that it had been settled for all time ; and if 
any new facts were biought forvvard, it was quite 
competent for the Association to reverse that 
decision at any time. He just mentioned this 
unless any member might think that it would be 
a slight on the Committee to reverse thir decisioDt 
the motion lost. 
The Chairman— then put the motion to the 
meeting and it was lost by 14 to 12 votes. 
This was all the business. 
♦ 
Sanitary InstructioKs Pon me Tropics. 
— We invite the attention of our readers to 
the list of Sanitary Instructious for the use 
of people in the Tropics which have just been 
issued by the Liverpool School of Tropical 
Medicine. These siiuiple rules are of the 
greatest importance to all residents in Ceylon 
and should be perused carefully, in view or the 
latebt discoveries iu medical science affecting 
tropical countries. 
