March i, 1892.] 
is undoubtedly a fine one the enterprise should 
end by proving suocessfu . —Acting British Resident 
at Pahcuiij, March 31st 189). 
If the Ma'ay Peninsula is ever to be a 
great coffee-growing and exporting country, the 
importation o£ labourers under contriict from 
India is a neccseity, and if a great forward move- 
ment in agrioulture oould be reckoned on, ihe 
Government should do what is possible to facilitate 
and cheapen immigration. But at present the 
number of planters and ef estates is very small 
and as long as a few hundred men are all that 
they can absorb, the question is not an urgent 
one. It is easy to allef;e that capitalists are 
deterred from embarking in agriculture because of 
the difficulty in obtaining and keeping a labour 
force, but general statements of this sort muet 
not be accepted. If planters in sufEcient numbers 
were to start operations in Selangor, the labour 
question would soon simplify itself. To make 
elaborate preparations to provide labour for agri- 
cultural purposes when the employer is as yet an 
abBent quantity is somewhat premature. In ihe 
meantime, the alleged scarcity of labour will con- 
tinue to furnish to land speculators an excuse for 
not opening tracts of forest land obtained on easy 
terms from Government ostensibly for agricultural 
purposes. — British Resident at Selangor, March 31, 
1891. 
NOTES ON PRODUCE AND FINANCE. 
The Tea Thade of China.— Ool. Howard Vincptit 
writes in relerence to his remarks, which we quoted 
last week, some of which have been challenged, about 
the decay ot the China tea trade: — "1 ani not sur- 
prised that Eome of the statements of fact in my 
leeetit articles have been clialltuged, as they are con- 
tiary to belitfa sedulouslj foftfred at home. It is 
not ceceFsary for me, I hope, to eay that they were not 
expresBtd on the Ruthority of my brief tojourn in 
China, but entirely iritn official data, suppi-rted by 
the personal views of the txperienced residents to 
whose acquaiiiiai ce I was admitted end tempered by 
a not nututored observation. The expression ' the 
tea industry in China is threatened wiih extinction ' 
to which 'A Tea Broker' tekea exception, was bor- 
rowed from the report of a very o d-ettablisbed firm. 
It applies, of course, perticularly to the tea trade 
with England. Your correspondent, moreover, him- 
self endorses it in the sentence ' 1 am of opinion 
that the present China tea gardens are exhausted. 
To remedy this stale of affairs the efforts of the 
Inspecor -General of Maritime Customs must be sup- 
poried by the united strength of alt persons interested. 
They are not at present, lam imfoimed on goou 
auhtorty, even aseociated together. 
Tea Freights. — This question was discussed at a 
recent meeting of the Indian Tea Districts' Associa- 
tion; and it ia evident, from the remarks of the chair- 
man, Mr. Magor, that the steamer companies have 
made an effort to get at the planter individually, 
rather than tackle him in conclave, as they should 
have done. If the planter be wise, he will dcclii e 
to discuss the matter in his individual capacity, but 
will refer nil neijotiatioDs to those who represent the 
general body (if plaulers. That union is strength is an 
old maxim ; but it is as true today as it has evei 
been. 
CiovLON Tea. — Keferring to last week's sbIcs o' 
Cejion tea, tlie Produce Markets' Review aajs:— Oi.e 
ot tho largest Hnl(.8 of Ceylon teftu on record has >-^, ^.^ 
held tliia week, b'lt prices bavo, nolwithst* 
Wii'iiU rfiilly well-iuaintitincd In the 
..oing, bi cn 
cel. iKUhot rekoes and brck... ^^X^ 
beeu particularly keen 
., _ ■ ' , hnd higher prices liave in 
many ca-es been ,,„,d ; ,or m,.r,am grades also the 
position bus bctn f„v> nralde for sellers" but common 
Borts ^huvY h. distinct de-clinc, and these aro now a s 
low a^ they wore during November. Tlie qnnlily ol 
the teas now coming forward is still con8idera6i;y 
below what it should be, and it seems highly prob 
ablo from present indioations that the old excelJent 
standards of quality of two years ago will scarcel) be 
again equalled without thf> liberal use ot artificial 
mabures. This subject will have to be duly considered 
by planters if Oeylon teas are to maintain theirpre-- 
sent position as the favourite teas ot tho British public-.. 
There has been no diminution in Ihe supply of In- 
dian teas (says the Pioduce Markets' Review), thei 
quantity brought forw«rd at pnblio i-ale having even 
exceeded that of last week. Monday's auction was 
the nrgi'Bt on record, consisting of nearly 26,000 pack- 
ages ; but, notwithstanding the large total, the supplies 
meet with general support, while ti-as with point and 
quality in many esses showed an advance. As might 
be eipooted, however, some inegniarity was notice- 
able, and lower prices bad to be accepted for the com- 
mon and inferior Horts, With smaller supplies coming 
forward a firmer market may be expected, and, as tlie 
trade have evidently been wiiiting the result of the lute 
benvy (-ales the demand for home consumption will no 
doubt increase, more particularly as prices are now at. 
a comparatively safe level. 
Last Week's Tea Sales.— Says the Grocer t 
' ' Beating the record ' is an expression frequently 
used in describing the inereasiug extent ot the sup- 
plies of Indian tea by auction, but it has never been' 
more applicable than in tho present week, during 
which about 49,100 packages have been submitted for 
public sale, involving an amount of time, labour, andi 
fatigue in tasting and valuing the teas and pricing 
Ihe catalogues such as the dealers would not rtldsb) 
very often, and which culminated on Thursday ia «, 
feeling of eihaui-tion, cot unmixed with a secne of 
relief that the severe and continuous strain waa wer 
for another week. Competition was liveliest &b Mon- 
(iay'a sales, when the assortment was large, t, and. 
strong-liquoring kinds of favourite growths were taktm 
lit firm to rather high prices; but teas thin and joor 
ill cup were, as a rub , avoided by the trade, aad were- 
disposable only on e>sier terms, which became stilE 
more s.. towards the end «i the final series yesterday,, 
und though the bulk of the supplies in auction has 
found buyers, the tone of tbc market at the finish was 
uncommonly tame, as if the wholesale men had ovei- 
I bought themselves and needed breathing time to work oflE 
their surplus stocks. About the largest sales yet held 
of Ceylon tea have taken place this week, amounldg 
to nearly 25,000 packages. The cumber of sampelg 
to be examined was gn-at, and small breaks formed a 
good proportion of the general total. The efforts 
made to curtail the trouble involved in the latter seems 
of little avail. Tuesday's auctions occupied the greater 
part of six hours. Prices, especially for common, are 
mostly lower. The biddings lacked a continuance of 
spirit, and the market closes with a flat tone. The 
pressure, of Indian, along with the haste to sell, h»' 
quite altered the aspect of the market during the pr { 
week, and some low rates biive to be recordeii, ; 
presence of low teas also help ng the depression. 
week's imports hhve comprised :— The Gi«- , . ,® 
7,1001b.; Oiion, 166,3001b.; Orb nt, 897,9001b;'' 
215,5001b.; total, 786,8001b.- JJ. and C, MaiL J ^"oo"^' 
' an. '22nd, 
« ^ 
THE AUSTEALIAN lEKIGATION COLONIES 
OF MESSES. CHAEPEY PJeCs LTD 
In the fifth annual report of tl-.p v' , • ... - 
: o ,-T , -"^ » ictonan Ministe 
ited to both 
we find it 
leuis is giving 
of Australia 
,, ,, , c-l't- tORUstaiu those who settle 
„n them, thereby a',-..„„ug „hat i. ,o much needed in 
ihese days of ov^,P_,t„ek„,i ,,b„„r markets »,ul con 
Rested ctutres populations-greater .oopo and i^ore 
-pportunity for working capacity. It is bv its . v 
,.nipK- and toiudung, assi,s,i„g toelevelop'a compara." 
ively now but ">-tJ-mportant industry! by which Ih^ 
and 
•era of 
uan be tilled and bro 
...... . u„.pv,,upurrHuc industry, by wliic 
n sources ol the colen.^ ni l be greatly increased 
It demonslratiiio to tbc fflrmers and fruit-rowe 
