202 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
[Sept.  2, 
Tlie  meeting  would  also  rc([uire  to  elect  an 
auditor  in  tlie  i)la(^e  of  Mr.  (iutlirie  who  retired 
but  who  was  eligible  for  re-election. 
Several  questions  were  asked  by  Mr.  (leorge 
Vanderspar  relative  to  the  acreage  coming  into 
bearing  and  the  amotint  of  reserve  available. 
Mr.  Tatiiam  moved  the  adoption  of  the  report 
and  the  payment  of  a dividend  of  15  per  cent. 
Mr.  Vaxdke.spar  seconded  and  the  motion 
w'as  adopted. 
On  the  motion  of  Mr.  Tatham  seconded  by  Mr. 
Forsyth.  Mr.  W.  H.  Figg  was  elected  a Director 
in  succes.sion  to  Mr.  Julius. 
Mr.  Gordon  Fraser  moved  and  Mr.  Tatham  se- 
conded that  Mr.  Guthiie  be  re-elected  auditor. 
Aj^eed. 
The  meeting,  on  the  motion  of  Mr.  Forbes  se- 
conded by  Mr.  Vanderspar,  resolved  to  accord  a 
hearty  vote  of  thanks  to  Messrs.  Buchanan,  Fra- 
zer & Co.  the  retiring  agents  and  secretaries 
for  the  satisfactory  manner  in  which  they  had 
conducted  the  business  of  the  firm  since  its 
formation. 
A vote  of  thanks  to  the  Chairman  brought 
the  meeting  to  a close. 
SALE  OF  A NATIVE  TEA  GARDEN 
AT  PUSSELLAM'A. 
Aug.  17. — The  nearly  6 acres  of  2 year  old  vi- 
gorous tea  was  sold  K7U0  to  Ludowicke,  owner 
of  adjoining  garden.  There  was  a good  attendance 
of  native  )»roprietors  intent  only  on  .securing  a 
bai'gain,  if  possible.  Under  all  the  circumstances 
it  fetched  about  its  actual  value. 
THE  CORAL  TRADE. 
Owing  to  the  depression  in  the  coral  trade,  the 
Italian  Government  forbade  coral  fisliing  on  the 
Sciacca  banks  in  1891.  Manufacturers  have  thus 
been  working  their  old  stocks  out.  The  finest  coral 
still  commands  its  price  , but  unless  new  banks  are 
discovered  its  quantity  must  decrease  from  year  to 
year,  the  Messina  banks  being  practically  exhausted. 
Some  years  ago  a new  bank  was  discovered  not  far 
from  Malta,  but  the  fishermen  did  not  take  the  bear- 
ings of  it  with  sufficient  accuracy,  and,  although  her 
Majesty’s  Government  at  Malta  gave  assistance, _ the 
bank  has  never  again  been  found. — East  Anglian  Times. 
EILA  TEA  COMPANY. 
A general  meeting  of  shareholders  of  the  F,ila 
Tea  Company  of  Ceylon  was  held  in  the  Regis- 
tered Office  of  the  Cthipany,  No.  6,  Prince  Street, 
on  the  Kith  August.  Mr.  Henry  Boi.«  presided,  and 
thei'e  were  present  Sir  G.  W.  R.  Campbell  (by 
his  attorney,  the  Chairman),  Messrs.  Tarrant, 
H.  G.  Bois"  and  W.  Moir.  The  Report,  which 
is  in  the  following  terms,  was  held  as  read  : — 
The  Directors  have  the  pleasure  to  submit  their  Report 
and  Accounts  for  the  year  ending  30th  June,  1895. 
The  result  of  the  working  for  the  year  may  be 
considered  satisfactory.  The  estimated  crops  have 
been  realized  and  the  prices  obtained  for  the  Tea 
sold  have  been  considerably  higher  than  those  of  last 
year.  The  average  net  price  for  1891—95  is  42‘83  cts. 
per  lb.  against  36'27  cts.  per  lb.  in  1893—94. 
^ No  further  Tea  extensions  have  been  undertaken  in 
the  expenditure  this  year  having  been  in- 
curred on  tlie  land  opened  previously. 
The  net  profit  for  the  year,  after  allowing  K9,3i2 
85  for  depreciation,  is  R52,8()4’28  (equal  to  17A%  on 
the  Capital  of  the  Company)  to  which  must  be  added 
the  balance  brought  forward  after  payment  of  the 
Dividend  for  1893—94  of  112,331  05  and  the  surplus 
value  of  1893—91  Crop  R 1,899  20  together  aggre- 
irating  1157,095  13.  Out  of  this  an  interim  dividend 
of  5 % been  paid  leaving  R42,09;)  13  available 
for  distribution.  ...  , 
The  Directors  reeoinmend  that  tins  sum  be  disposed 
of  as  follows,  viz  That  Dividend  of  10  % be  dec- 
lared on  the  share  Capital  of  11300, tKX)  (making  15  % 
for  the  year)  . . • . . . . R.  30,000  00 
That  a sum  of  RIO, 000  be  carried  to 
Reserve  Fund 
10,000  00 
Leaving  to 
next  a/c 
be  carried  forward  to 
2,095  13 
R42.095  13 
The  Estatjs 
now  consist  of 
Eila 
410  acres  Te.a,  5 years  and  upwards 
.“iO  acresTea,  1 year  old 
105  acres  Tea,  under  1 year 
392  acres  Forest 
957  acres 
Kanangama 
. . 200  acres  Tea,  5 years  and  upwards 
15  do  2 do  do 
108  acres  Forest 
323  acres 
Mr.  II.  Tarrant  retires  in  accordance  with  the 
Articles  of  Association,  but  being  eligible  offers  himself 
for  re-election. 
The  Shareholders  will  also  have  to  elect  an  Auditor 
for  Season  1895-96. — By  order  of  the  Board  of  Direc- 
tors, J.  M.  Robertson  & Co.,  Agents  and  Secys. 
Colombo,  30th  .July  1895. 
The  CHAlliMAX  in  moving  the  .adoption  of  the 
Report,  said  the  inforni.ation  which  wa.s  before  the 
meeting  embodied  everything  which,  he  thought, 
would  be  of  interest  to  shareholders,  so  that 
unless  anyone  load  a question  to  ask  there  was 
nothing  he  could  .add  to  wh.at  h.ad  been  submitted 
regarding  the  working  of  the  ji.ast  half-year.  The 
]>rice  obtained  for  te.a  during  tlie  12  niontlis  ending 
30th  .June  was  con.sulerably  in  .advance  of  the  price 
oht.ained  in  the  previous  year,  which,  in  itself,  was  a 
very  satisfactory  feature.  The  crop  on  Eil.a  was 
estimated  at  210, 1 00  lb.  and  on  Kaiiangama  150,000 
lb. — very  much  the  same  figures  as  last  year. 
The  condition  of  Eila  estate  was  in  every  way 
satisfactory.  Mr.  Gibbon  in  his  report  of 
date  1st  August  wrote  that  the  new 
clearing  was  .a  great  addition  to  the  value 
of  the  estate.  This  new  clearing  would  jiroduce 
now  15,000  lb  of  crop.  The  report  on  Kanan- 
gama  was  not  very  satisfactory.  l\Ir.  Gibbon 
wrote:  “ Kanangama,  I am  .sorry  to  say,  is  suf- 
fering from  an  attack  of  Hclopeltis,  more  es- 
pecially, in  field  No.  2 and  No.  3 division  which 
liad  the  disease  so  Imdly  two  years  ago  ; Nos.  8 
and  3 fields  are  not  so  b.adly  attacked  ; No.  1 
is  fairly  free  and  coolies  are  now  collecting  the 
insects  .at  the  r.ate  of  .S.tkJO  jier  day.”  In  the 
reports  for  the  last  two  years  very  much  the 
same  report  w.as  .sent  in.  In  1893  there  was  a 
bad  attack  and  1894  did  nob  seem  to  have  been 
so  bad.  Still  the  conditions  were  not  very  dif- 
ferent, but,  as  energetic  measures  were  being 
taken  to  keep  the  pest  in  check,  he  did  not  think 
they  had  any  reason  to  believe  the  property 
would  be  seriously  effected.  The  fields  tliat  had 
been  attacked  had  lieen  pruned  down  for  a time, 
and  that  would  affect  the  yield,  but  he  gathered 
from  what  Mr.  Gibbon  and  the  superintendent 
wrote  that  the  yield  of  crop  would  be  pretty  much 
what  h.ad  been  estimated.  He  moved  the  ado})- 
tion  of  tlie  rejiort. 
Mr.  Moir  seconded  and  the  report  was  adopted. 
Mr.  Moir  moved  that  a dividend  of  lo  per 
cent  be  declared  on  the  capital  of  the  Uonipanv. 
The  GnAll!M,\N  seconded  on  behalf  of  ,Sir  G.  \V. 
Campbell  and  the  motion  was  adopted. 
On  the  motion  of  the  Chairinaii  seconded  by 
Mr.  H.  G.  Bois,  Mr.  'I’anant  was  re-elected  a 
Director,  .and  it  was  proposed  by  Mr.  Moir  .seconded 
by  Mr.  H.  G.  Bois  .and  agreed  to,  that  Mr. 
Shattoek  be  apiiointed  auditor  for  the  ensuing 
year  the  reniuneration  lioiiig  li.xed  at  R,50. 
This  was  all  the  husiness  and  the  meeting 
terminated  with  a vote  of  thanks  to  the  Chair. 
