Oct.  I,  1896.] 
THK  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
241 
The  price  realized  for  the  Tea  was  not  altogether 
satisfactory  and  the  net  average  of  the  Tea  sold 
from  the  two  Estates  was  37-97  cts.  against  -12-8.-5 
cts.  last  year. 
The  Net  profit  for  the  year,  after  allowing  RC,100'-19 
for  depreciation,  is  R44,657T1  (equal  to  nearly  15  per- 
cent on  the  Capital  of  the  Company)  to  which  must 
be  added  the  balance  brought  forward  (after  pay- 
ment of  the  dividend  for  1894-95)  of  R2,095'13 
together  aggregating  R46,752'24. 
Out  of  this  an  interim  dividend  of  4 per  cent  has 
been  paid  leaving  R34,752  24  available  for  distri- 
bution. 
The  Directors  recommend  that  this  be  disposed  of  as 
follows,  viz  : 
That  a final  dividend  of  9 per  cent 
be  declared  on  the  share  Capital 
of  R300,000,  making  13  per  cent  for 
the  year  . . . . . . R27,000  00 
That  a sum  be  carried  to  Reserve 
Fund  of  . . . . . . 6,000  00 
Leaving  to  be  carried  forward  to 
next  account  ..  ..  1,752  24 
R34,752  24 
The  Estates  on  the  30th  June,  1896,  consisted  of — 
Eila  410  acres  Tea,  5 years  old  and  upwards 
50  ,,  ,,  2 ,,  ,,  ,,  ,, 
105  ,,  ,,  1 ,,  ,,  ,,  ,, 
62  ,,  ,,  under  1 year 
330  „ „ Forest. 
957 
Eanangama  200  acres  Tea  5 years  old  and  upwards 
15  „ „ 4 years  old 
108  ,,  ,,  Forest 
323 
Mr.  H.  Tarrant  retires  in  accordance  with  the 
Articles  of  Association,  but  being  eligible  offers  him- 
self for  re-election. 
The  shareholders  will  also  have  to  elect  an  Auditor 
for  Session  1896-97 
By  order  of  the  Board  of  Directors, 
J.  M.  Robektson  & Co.,  Agents  & Secretaries. 
Colombo,  13th  August,  1896. 
The  Chairman,  in  submitting  the  annual  report 
of  the  Directors  for  the  season  ending  30th  June, 
said  as  it  had  been  in  the  hands  of  the  share- 
holders for  some  time,  he  concluded  it  might  he 
taken  as  read.  The  Directors  regretted  the  fall- 
ing-off in  the  average  price  of  the  tea,  which 
was  very  considerable,  and,  seeing  that  one  cent 
per  lb.  on  the  price  of  the  tea  made  a difference 
of  no  less  than  one  and  a fifth  per  cent  on  the 
capital  of  the  Company  it  was  all-important 
that  the  average  should  be  kept  as  high  as 
possible.  Up  to  the  end  of  the  year,  that  was 
the  half  year  from  June  to  Decembe>-,  the  average 
was  a very  good  one,  but  unfortunately  a large 
proportion  of  the  Coni])any’s  tea  came  into  the 
second  period  of  the  season  from  January  to 
.June,  Avlren  the  prices  of  tea  were  very  low. 
The  Directors  had  given  careful  attention  to  this 
and  were  doing  all  in  theii- |iower  to  ])revent  such 
a low  average  in  future.  The  Kanangania  tea 
was  of  ,a  low  quality,  but  they  were  inclined  to 
think  that  tlie  Eila  tea  ougiit  not  to  come  into 
the  ruck  of  low  teas  and  they  hoped,  if  possible  in 
future,  that  tliey  would  be  able  to  prevent  it. 
Notwithstanding  this  falling  -off  in  the  averagei 
which  maile  a ilifference  of  nearly  6 ]>er  cent  on 
the  dividend,  he  thought  they  might  consider 
th.at  tlie  Company  had  done  fairly  well.  Regard- 
ing the  crops  they  came  out  very  nearly  to  the 
estimate.  The  Kanangania  estimate  was  1.50,000 
11).  and,  notwithstanding  that  a small  acreage  had 
to  be  cut  down  unexpectedly  owing  to  heloiieltis, 
the  result  was  146,000  lb. ; or  only  4,000  11).  below 
the  estimate.  He  miglit  mention  there  was 
very  little  helopeltis  to  be  seen  now  and  that  a 
small  amount  was  provided  each  year  for  catching 
the  insect,  and  he  thought  it  had  been  kept  down 
very  w'ell.  ^Ir.  Dawkin  was  in  the  office  that  morn- 
ing and  had  said  that  tliere  was  very  little  indeed 
noticeable  and  that  the  >ield  for  thelast  two  months 
had  been  very  satisfactory.  The  Eila  cro)i  was 
slightly  over  the  estimate,  which  was  210,000  1b., 
ami  everything  was  going  on  sati.sfactorily  on  the 
estates.  They  were  in  good  order  and  the  esti- 
mated crop  for  the  coming  year  was  favourable. 
He  moved  the  adoption  of  the  report  and  accounts. 
Unanimously  adopted. 
On  the  motion  of  IMr.  MiTCHKfii.,,  seconded  by  Mi. 
Liesching,  a dividend  of  9 per  cent  was  declared 
for  the  half-year. 
The  CiiAiRM.-VN  said  the  next  thing  was  to 
elect  a Director  in  |)lace  of  Mr.  Tarrant.  Mr, 
Tarrant  retired  last  year,  but  the  articles 
of  association  provided  that  the  director 
longest  in  office  should  retire.  This  hap- 
])ened  to  l>e  Mr.  Tarrant,  so  that  therefore  he 
again  retired. 
Mr.  Liesching  proposed  the  re-election  of  Mr. 
Tarrant. 
Mr.  Mason  seconded.  Agreed. 
The  Chairman  intimated  that  Mr.  Shat- 
TOOK,  the  auditor,  had  gone  home,  and  in  the 
meantime  the  directors  had  thought  it  ad- 
visable to  elect  Mr.  .John  Guthrie,  and  he 
trusted  this  would  have  the  approval  of  the  share- 
holders. 
On  the  motion  of  Mr.  Mason,  seconded  by 
Mr.  Mitchell,  Mr.  Guthrie  was  elected  auditor 
at  the  usual  fee  of  RoO. 
This  was  all  the  business. 
THE  RHONDURA  VALLEY  TEA  COM- 
PANY OF  CEYLON. 
An  extraordinary  meeting  of  the  shareholders  of 
this  Company  was  held  at  noon  on  the  31st  Aug.  in 
the  office  of  the  agents  and  secretaries,  Messrs.  J, 
M.  Robertson  & Co.  Mr.  A.  E.  Scovell  the 
Chairman  presided,  and  present  were  Mr.F.  W.  Lois, 
Mr.  W.  Moir  and  IMr.  Henry  Bois  /jo-  Mr.  H.  G.  Boi.s! 
The  meeting  resolved  to  purcha.se  666  acres  of 
land  from  Mr.  Scovell,  and  the  Directors  were 
empowered  to  raise  the  necessary  capital  for  this 
purpose.  The  land  in  question  is  .situated  above 
the  cart-road,  and  practically  connects  the  Com- 
pany’s estates,  Broadlands  and  Rhondura,  which 
abut  on  the  cart-road.  The  land  is  in  jungle 
and  steps  will  be  taken  without  delay  to 
have  it  cleared  and  planted  in  tea.  A wire 
shoot  will  be  constructed  forthwith  at  a point  on 
the  cai  t-road  dowm  to  the  factory  on  Broadlands, 
By  it  leaf  plucked  on  Rhondura  and  on  the  ex* 
tended  portion  of  the  Company’s  land  when  i^ 
comes  into  bearing  will  be  sent  to  the  factory. 
THE  INDIAN  TEA  CROP. 
The  unusual  dryness  of  the  present  year  through- 
out the  s))ring  and  early  autumn  w-as  known  to 
have  told  .seriously  against  the  tea  cro))  all  over 
north-eastern  India,  in  Assam,  Cachar,  the  Dooars 
and  Darjeeling.  The  unfavouiable  character  of 
the  season  is  brought  out  by  the  figures  of  the 
export  trade,  for  the  July  clc.arances  from  Calcutta 
only  amounted  to  24  million  lb  .as  against  284^ 
million  lb.  in  1895,  and  nearly  ‘26  millions  lb.  in 
1894.  The  weather,  however,  impro\'ed  in  the  tea 
districts  as  the  season  advanced,  and  it  is  to  be 
hoped  that  by  the  end  of  October  it  will  be  found 
that  the  later  months  have  made  up  some  of  the 
earlier  deficiency. — Mcidras  Mail. 
