hii 
THE TEOPICAL 
AGRICULTUEIST. 
[Feb. 1, 1901 
DIMBULA PLANTERS' ASSOCIATION. 
ANNUAL RBPOKT. ' 
Mejibbrship. — Tbo sabscribsrs for 10 '3-lOU number 
r E^tatp, tho lotal showiiif; Thsre has 
been no private subiciiptici t'ii-i yeav. 
Finance, — L'a'cinco brought fcrvvard !rc xi 11. c. 
1002-1903 .. 137 89 
,, 98 Estates' pub-criptions % to 49u OC 
., Eeat on Dut ji'o liui;gaIow 
foL 1903-1004 . . 10 00 
., District RoACi Grant for 1903- 
1901 1,200 CO 
By Saiiuys I'hnniaE Memorial 
balance of amount .. 66 21 
Totnl El, 903 GO 
, „ Expenditure D. P. A. account 
lor 1903-5904 ..1,408 84 
Balance to bs carriel forwai'd,.,d94 76 
Meetings. —There have been (4) Four Committee 
Meetings during the yeav. A fevi' members of Com- 
mittee have only attended one meotiijg. The atten- 
dance ou the average for the year has been for 
Committee 15, General Meetins; 22, besides 3 visiiora, 
Five Committee Members did not attend a single 
^meeting daring the year. Out of the four meetingSj 
one was held in the Agra Fatnas Cricket Pavilion 
rear Holbroolr. Your Committeee would urge on mem- 
bers of the D. P. A. the importance of more frequent 
attendance at the meetings, to support the of&oers of 
the Association in carrying out their duties for the 
general benefit of the District. 
Acreage and Crop Statement for 1904.— The total 
acreage of the District according to returns rendered ia 
45,777J in Tea; in bearing 45,087| acres. The estimated 
crop for 1904, as far as it has been possible to collect, 
is 22,143,3001b. of black tea ; or an average of 491 lb. 
per acre. I'hcse figures show an increase in tea of 
3.56j765 lb. and an increase in yield of 8 lb. per acre 
over last year's estimate. Pour estates have not seen 
in their estimated returns this year for unknown 
xeasons. 
Season 1903.— The drought in the first part of the 
year and the continuous cold rains and winds till early 
in October, have reduced the yield on most estates ; 
consequently estimates have not been realized in 
many cases. 
Labour. — In spite of yield on estates having decrea- 
sed, your Committee regret to hear that a great many 
estates complain of being short-handed. Your Com- 
mittee would again repeat this year, what they 
reminded employers of last, i, e., to endeavour by 
every means in their power to recruit labour from the 
Coast during 1904, in order to maintain their labour 
forces at required strength and avoid, as far as possible, 
recruiting from other estates at increased advances 
which, it is alleged, tends to demoralise labour 
throughout the country, and does not benefit either 
proprietor or cooly. It is urged that special efforts 
must be made, if more labour is to be recruited from 
India ; and that when secured great care should be 
exercised in getting the coolies to remain on estates, 
by showing them liberal treatment, in practically 
demonstrating that estates are ready to give them 
profit, provided they will turn out regularly and will 
work well. Your Committee would also wish to impress 
on employers the necessity for taking the utmost inte- 
rest in their labour, by careful scrutiny in cleanliness of 
lines, preventing mortality amongst adults and children; 
and endeavour, by such means as they may deem 
desirable, to alleviate some of the difficulties coolies 
have to contend with at tho hands of neglectful 
kanganies. Your Committee would also suggest that 
regular work be provided for coolies on every estate 
throughout the year, in order that labourers may 
gradually reduce their liabilities to estates aa well as 
to their kanganies. It is thought that if every em- 
glojer wpald ineisti on coplies working at bast tiv9 
days a week throughout the year, issue rice at cost 
price and as near their estates as possible, keep their 
estates free from weeds by paying more remunerative 
rates for contracts, the present high advances on 
many estat^iS would be reduced in a very few years, 
to the benefit of Ceylon in general, but employer 
and cooly iu particular. The Labour Question being 
of Euoh vital importance to ihe prosperity or other- 
wise of the Oolon; it behoves everyone who employs 
Tnmi! labour to tnrkle the matter vigorously and ear- 
iie&tly, before the q«;-stiou gets beyond the planters, 
iaigeaum'i of money have to be written off, and before 
the labour gets further demoralised than it is alleged 
to be at present. By the means suggested above it is 
thought that coolies will soon again begin to realise 
the fact, that they lan make money in Ceylon, with- 
out roving about the country and that tke good 
name of Oeyloa wii! be again appreciated on the Coast, 
wliere it is alleged to have gone down of recent years. 
Mr, James Westland's Laeouk Scheme.— Although 
the scheme innugurated by Mr James Westland did 
not prove the success he had hoped it would be, yet 
your Committee are of tho opinion that Mr "Westland 
deserv! s the best thanks of the Piauting Community 
for having tested the matter fnlly. The Dimbula 
district supported the scheme very well, by subscrib- 
ing KSGO towards sending the Commissioners to India 
to m>ike thorough investigations and report on the 
feasibility orothe.wise of proceeding further with the 
recruiting of labour on a large seals. The P resa 
having ■•.iven full details of the matter, your Committee 
do not feel called upon to pass any further remarks. 
Labour Federation,— There have been two oases 
brought before the Sub-Committee during the year ; 
one between a Dimbula and Rambotia planter and 
the other between two Dimbula pbnters. There have 
been a few resignations from the Labour Federation ; 
it is feared, therefore, that the rules of the Federation 
are often infringed by some of its members ; but your 
Committee would urge on everyone the necessity of 
abiding by the written as well as the unwritten laws. 
. «, 
CEYLOX FISHING CLUB. 
At a meeting of this institution held at the Hill 
Club last Saturday afternoon, Mr. E M de Uouey- 
Short, the Hon. Secret,<iry of the Club, presided. 
Present :— Messrs. C H Bagot, J Wiekwar, John 
P'raser, G G lloss Clarke, F H Turner, W F Dew 
Neil G Campbell, C J Bayley, A W A Piai^| 
H F Tomalin and W A Sparling. After prelinii- 
naries, and enquiries as to the draft rules, 
The report below was amended by addition 
of percentages of returu from the two con- 
sigiuueuts of Ova on a motion by Mr 
Sparlirg and seconded by Mr. Fra.'^er. 
CEYLON FISllINC; CLUB ANNUAL EEPOKT 1903, 
The last Annual Report of this Club was read at the 
general meeting held on the 28th December 1902 
since which date one general meeting and nine 
meetiKga of tho managing committee have been held. 
Finances.— The total revenue for the year amounted 
to R4,576 29 and the expenditure toE4,073-02 leavinff 
a balance of R503-27 to be brought forward. 
Ova.— Two consignments one of 20,000 of Rainbow- 
ova, and the other of 10,000 Brown trout ova were 
received from the Wyresdale Fisheries during the 
year. The out turn from the Rainbow ova was dis- 
appointing, and the Manager of the Wyiesdale 
I'isheries when communicated with on the subject' 
attributed the poor results to the fact that arrange- 
ments for the despatch of the Rainbow ova were m&r's 
unusually early in the year. Oat of 20,000 Rainbow 
o /a 3,000 fry were obtained and were distributed as 
follows : — 
HortOQ Plains Stream 600, Ambiwella 300 
BiiUahella 3Q0, Mules Patna anij fjiu Eliyiv 
