SrPT,  2,  1895.] 
THK  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
those  eirciilai’s  liave  not  been  cauied  ont  generally 
by  the  planting  community  but  no  blame  can  attach 
to  the  Association  for  that,  and  that  body  can  but 
repeat  what  has  been  recommended  in  the  past. 
(‘2)  Facilitating  the  journeys  of  coolies  to  and  from 
Ceylon  is  a work  well  within  the  province  of  the  As- 
sociation and  a perusal  of  recent  reports  of  its  pro- 
ceedings shows  that  it  has  never  been  backward  in 
its  endeavours  to  secure  such  facilities  Doubtless 
any  further  improvements  which  can  be  suggested 
in  that  direction  will  receive  the  early  attention  they 
deserve.  The  question  of  the  IndO'Ceylon  railway 
seems  hardly  within  the  range  of  practical  polities 
as  yet. 
(S)  liegulation  of  Coast  advances,  and  local  ad- 
vances. This  again  is  a matter  entirely  beyond  the 
province  of  the  Association  except  by  way  of  recoip- 
inendation.  If  the  advice  of  the  Association  is  not 
generally  followed  that  liody  should  not  be  reproached 
with  the  results,  Individual  effort  ij<‘ui’rafli/  a/iplird, 
can  best  reduce  advances,  coupled  with  the  introduc- 
tion, of  fresh  coolies  from  the  coast.  Kmall  combina- 
tions of  estates  could  introduce  fresh  labour  and  in 
some  of  the  small  Districts  these  combinations  might 
work  well,  but  it  is  doubtful  if  small  combinations 
could  reditce  advances  where  immense  areas  of  cul- 
tivated land  are  adjacent,  as  coolies  will  naturally  go 
where  they  can  get  most  money  and  least  work. 
There  appears  therefore  to  be  no  better  remedy  for 
the  evil  of  high  advances  than  Increasing  the  aupjih/  of 
i'uolies. 
(4j  Local  advances,  crimping,  and  the  “ tundu"  sys- 
tem ax’e  all  bound  up  together  and  inseparably  con- 
nected ; and  as  with  regard  to  Coast  advances  the 
Association  can  do  no  more  than  recommend  a cer- 
tain course.  This  has  frequently  been  done  in  the 
past  and  nothing  more  can  be  done  but  to  repeat 
the  recommendations  in  the  hope  perhaps  that  some 
day  they  may  be  carried  out.  It  is  impossible  to 
say  that  local  advances  should  not  be  given.  Op- 
ortnnity  to  change  from  one  estate  to  another  must 
e permitted  to  coolies  as  well  as  to  others,  and 
notwithstanding  all  that  is  said  against  the  “ tundu  ” 
system,  in  it  properly  used  and  not  abused  lies  the 
best  safeguard  of  the  employer.  Like  all  the  other 
panaceas  proposed  for  the  evil,  its  complete  success 
depends  on  its  universal  use.  As  its  universal 
use  cannot  among  the  planters  be  hoped 
for,  so  its  success  can  only  he  partial.  No  one 
can  be  compelled  to  give  a “ tundu  ” although 
many  are  lender  that  impression,  but  it  must  be  mani- 
festly unfair  to  the  labourer  to  refuse  invariably  and 
under  all  circumstances  to  give  a “tundu”  if  the  systern  is 
tmiversally  adopted.  To  enable  an  employer  practi- 
cally to  prevent  a coolie  obtaining  employment 
elsewhere  would  be  unjust,  and  would  have  the  effect 
of  driving  labour  from  the  country.  At  present 
“ tundus  ” are  far  too  recklessly  given  and  those  with 
“tundus”  as  well  as  those  without  “tundus”  are  far 
too  recklessly  taken  on. 
Crimping  is  at  present  intimately  connected  with 
the  “tundu”  system  but  that  is  because  the  system 
is  abused  or  improperly  used.  Nor  is  Crimping  con- 
fined to  coolies  or  kanganies  alone.  The  Superin- 
tendent who  at  a day’s  or  a w'eek’s  or  a month's 
notice  tells  his  Icaugany  that  he  the  (Superintendent) 
must  have  more  coolies,  must  be  perfectly  well  aware 
that  the  kangany  can  only  get  these  by  crimping. 
The  Superintendent  who  can  foresee  his  wants  and 
takes  the  trouble  to  calculate  what  these  wants  may 
l)e,  sends  to  the  coast  6 or  8 months  before  ho 
really  W'ants  them  and  will  be  prepared  to  give  them 
work  if  they  arrive  before  he  expected  them.  And 
this  in  fact  brings  one  to  the  root  of  the  whole  ques- 
tion. The  cooly  is  very  much  what  his  master  makes 
him  and  there  is  far  less  change  in  the  cooly  thau 
there  is  in  some  Superintendents  of  the  day. 
If  a cooly  is  ill,  he  gets  a letter  to  hospital.  Some 
Superintendents  neither  know  nor  care  what  is  the 
matter  with  him,  in  tnany  casrs  do  not  even  know 
them  by  siglit!  If  there  is  a row  in  the  lines  they 
are  tola  to  settle  it  themselves  or  go  to  Court. 
It  is  uscle.ss  to  .ittempt  any  remedy  wh  ite'vfer  until 
the  adhesion  is  gained  of  certain  l.ir  c employers  of 
labour  w'hose  visiting  aenfife  fitust  be  stAv.ire'  of  the 
difficulties  existing  onSnairyest-ates  in-ahiding  their  ovtii . 
if)) 
Until  those  large  employers  insist  on  their  Superin- 
teudents  procuring  coolies  from  the  coast  anuually 
and  show  them  how  to  sot  about  it,  small  individual 
proprietors  cannot  be  e.xpected  to  introduce  hew 
coolies  oil  a scrle  large  enough  to  remedy  the  evils, 
as  if  they  did  so  the  probable  effect  would  be  to 
enable  the  Superiutendents  of  the  large  employers  to 
recruit  their  force  from  such  newly-imported  coolies. 
It  is  desirable  that  Superintendents  should  show  in 
their  estate  accounts  what  advances,  given  out  in 
any  month,  are  sent  to  the  coast  and  what  given  for 
local  labour,  and  tho  number  of  coolies  so  obtained 
should  be  shown  in  the  same  way. 
♦ 
BOUND  FOR  NYASSAL\NI). 
Mr.  0.  M.  Cr.abhe,  of  Uva — who  lia.s  had  eight 
years’  experience  as  a planter  in  Ceylon  and  is 
in  every  way  titteil  to  lie  a Central  Afim-an  pioneer 
planter,  leave.s  for  Nyassaland  via  Bombay,  Zan- 
zibar .and  Cliinde,  at  once.  .Mr.  Crabbe  will  be 
associated  with  jN|r.  Owen  in  the  service  of  the 
Nyassalaml  Cofiee  Oo.  j and  we  feel  sure  will 
do  justice  to  hi.s  selection.  We  trust  he  may 
hai'o  an  enjoyable  loyage  across,  arri\-e  ii] 
good  health  on  the  Company’s  land  and  have  a 
successful  e.xperience  of  Central  Africa. 
PROGRESS  IN  NORTH  BORNEO. 
From  a letter  dated  Saiulakan,  IStli  -Inne,  we 
are  allowed  to  quote  as  follow.? : — 
We  have  seen  but  little  of  Mr.  Hciirv  Walker  for 
seme  mouths  as  he  has  beeu  busy  ou  the  West  Coast 
climbing  mountain  gorges  and  doing  otliev  laborious 
tramps.  Here  things  are  progressing  though  slowly, 
it  is  said  that  tobacco  laud  is  getting  short  and 
when  the  pinch  comes  then  wc  shall  begin  to  see  the 
country  go  ahead  on  proper  linos  I hope.  Our  coffee 
comes  on  well,  and  gives  every  promise  of  dividends 
before  long;  it  is  already  in  heavy  bearing. 
THE  CENTRAL  TEA  CO.  OF  CEYLON, 
LIMITED. 
We  have  liefore  ns  a memo  of  Association  of 
tliis  Company  under  The  English  Companies'  Acts 
which  is  snhscrihed  to  hy  Messrs.  ,j.  Sancroft, 
Holmes.  H.  K.  Rutherford,  David  Reid,  11, 
Todd,  W.  Herbert  Anderson,  A.  Crabbe  aiul 
M'illiam  Jolinston. 
The  capital  of  the  Company  is  £45,1100  divided 
into  1,.500  preferent  shares  of  £10  each,  and  3,001 
ordinary  shares  of  £10  each.  Two  estates— Somer- 
set in  Dimbula,  and  Kahheragalla  in  Matnrata— 
Iiave  been  purchased  hy  the  Company  for  £38,750 
sterling. 
■ 
THE  TRAVANCORE  CARDAMOM 
MONOFOLY, 
The  Travaiicore  fTOVv^rnment  has  at  last  decided  to 
abolish  the  cardamom  monopoly  against  which  the 
planting  community  has  been  agitating  for  years  past. 
The  cardamom  gardens  were  all  surveyed  last  year 
and  a re^lav  assessment  will  he  fixed  ou  each  hold- 
ing, which  it  is  expected  will  amount  to  the  average 
income  obtained  hy  the  Government  from  this  source. 
— .)/.  Uaii. 
INUIAS  Tea  in  A.meric.\  — Say.s  the  Pioneer 
of  July  27  : — The  Indian  Tea  Asso,jiation  has  just 
issued  another  circular  to  all  proprietors  and  agents 
of  tea  gardens,  appealing  for  further  contributions 
(four  auuas  per  acre  on  c.rea  and  lialf  an  anna  per 
mauud  on  produce)  iu  support  of  the  endeavour  to 
push  Indian  tea  in  America.  The  measures  adopted 
l)y  .Mr.  Blechyiideu  at  the  Chicago  Exhibition  seem 
to  have  borne  good  fruit,  and  the  Indian  planter 
niay  rest  assured  that  the  game  is  well  worth  the 
candle.  ' ' > 
