Dec.  I,  1896.] 
THE  PROPICAl 
AGRirULTDRlST. 
409 
of  8 per  cent,,  be  declared  on  all  shares ; 
that  the  same  be  paj’able  on  October  22nd  loss  tne 
in'erim  dividends  paid  in  March  last,  and  that 
£5,000  be  placel  to  the  Eeserve  Fund. 
Mr.  W.  S.  Bennett  seconded  the  motion  which  was 
cariied  uminimously. 
Mr.  W.  S.  Bennett:— I have  now  to  ask  the 
Chairman  to  put  this  resolution,  and  I have  a 
peculiar  pleasure  in  doing  so,  because  Mr.  Brooks 
and  I have  served  together  on  the  Board  from  the 
very  beginning  of  the  new  Company,  and  there" 
fore,  I have  great  x^lcasure  in  proposing,  that  Mr. 
Herbert  Br.)oks  be  re-elected  a Director  of  the 
Company. 
Mr.  W.  Heheei.t  Anderson  seconded  the  re-election 
of  the  Chairman. 
The  resolution  was  carried  unanimously. 
The  Cu.uuMAN  Gentlemen,  I have  to  think  you 
very  much  for  the  honour  you  have  done  me  in 
re  electing  me  as  a Director.  It  is  not  the 
first  time  vou  have  re-elected  me,  I think  it 
is  the  third  or  fourth,  and  each  time  I have  still 
the  same  pleasure  in  thanking  you  and  saying  1 will 
continue  to  do  my  best  as  I have  done  hitherto 
for  the  good  of  the  Company. 
Mr.  Henry  Brooks  proposed  : — That  Mr.  George 
Rneath  be  elected  .\uditor  for  the  ensuing  year  at 
a fee  of  20  guineas.  , x 
i\fR.  T.  A.  Barker. —I  shall  be  glad  to  second  that 
reiiolution. 
The  resolution  was  canfied. 
The  Chairman. — The  ne.xt  resolution  comes  as  an 
annual  dish.  I think  it  ought  not  to  be  passed  over 
in  silence.  It  is  that  a vote  of  thanks  be  accorded 
to  our  Resident  Manager  and  staff  in  Ceylon.  At- 
tention has  already  been  called  to  the  manner  in 
which  he  has  kept  down  the  Coast  Advances,  and  I 
can  say  that  the  Board  very  closely  scrutinise  the 
expenditure  in  Ceylon,  and  they  can  only  speak  favour- 
ably on  the  question  of  cost.  I am  sure  his  heart 
is  in  his  work,  and  he  is  ably  supported  by  his 
staff.  I have  much  pleasure  in  proposing  a vote  of 
thanks  to  the  Resident  Manager  and  the  Colonial  staff. 
Mr.  J.  Anueiison.— I have  great  pleasure  in  second- 
ing tins  motion.  I am  sure  anyone  who  has  been 
connected  with  the  Company  as  long  as  I have— 
and  that  has  been  from  the  commencement— and  who 
knows  Mr.  Dick  Lauder  personally,  must  thoroughly 
appreciate  him  for  the  way  in  which  he  manages 
the  work  of  this  Company.  As  I said  before.  I do  not 
suppose  there  is  any  company  w’hose  efforts  have 
been  attended  with  so  much  success,  and  I am  sure  a 
great  do’al  of  it  is  due  to  the  manager  on  the  spot  and 
the  staff.  . 
The  resolution  was  earned  unanimously. 
Mr.  J.  Anderson  :— Before  we  part,  I think  it 
our  duty  to  move  a vote  of  thanks  to  the  Chairman 
and  Directors,  Everything  that  they  have  put  before 
us  is  satisfactory.  I may  differ  a little  with  the 
Chairman  and  Directors  on  one  point,  that  is  the 
Reserve  Fund,  but  I think  the  great  success  of  the 
Company  is  largely  due  to  the  Chairman  and  Directors. 
I have  »reat  pleasure  in  moving  a vote  of  thanks  to 
the  Cha'innan  and  Directors. 
Mr.  Barker  : — I have  much  pleasure  in  seconding  it. 
The  resolution  was  put  to  the  meeting  and  carried 
unanimously.  . 
The  Chairman  I must  again  thank  you  for 
the  very  pleasing  compliment.  I can  .assure  you 
it  "gives  us  very  much  pleasure  to  work  for  the 
Comii.any,  and  it  is  very  pleasing  to  us  that  we  have 
so  few  differences  with  our  shareholders.  We  are 
vary  much  obliged  to  you  for  your  kindness. 
The  x>roceedings  then  terminated. 
TliK  MIDL.\NUS  TEA  PEANTATIONS  CO. 
which  owns  Strathellie,  Gnei.ss'  Rock,  etc.,  lias 
made  a good  imrohase  in 
15 [. ACK.STON  KE.ST ATE 
for  £lG,.oOU— good,  bcninse  it  rounds  off 
and  improves  the  rest  of  their  property,  all'ord- 
im>’  too,  a capital  factory  for  e.xtended  operations. 
Me.Urs.  Gow,  Wilson  A Stanton  are  no>v  to  oiler 
Mr.  C,  Anderson’s 
51 
GAHTMORE 
(Ma.skeliya)  properties  hy  public  auction  on  26tli 
Nov.,  with  a reserve  price  of  no  mean  propor- 
tions. Indeed,  if  rumour  speaks  true,  iirivate 
oilers  running  considerably  over  £30,()00  have 
already  been  placed  on  one  side. 
THE  AGRA  OUVAH  ESTATES  CO.,  LD. 
Minutes  of  proceedings  at  the  extraordinary 
general  meeting  of  sliareholders  of  tlie  Agra 
Onvali  Estates  Company,  Ld.,  held  at  No.  7,  tiliieeii 
Street,  Fort,  Colombo,  on  Saturday,  IHh  Nov.  1896. 
Present  Mr.  tk  A.  Leechman,  in  the  Chair, 
and  Mr.  G.  H.  Alston,  Directors  ; Mr.  F,  F. 
Street,  Mr.  Jas.  Forbes  and  Mr.  G.  J.  Donald. 
Tlie  following  shareholder.s  were  repre.sented  hy 
the  holders  of  their  powers  of  attorney. — Mr.  (i. 
W.  C.arlyon  by  Mr.  G.  H.  Alston,  Mr.  ^V.  H. 
Eigg  by  Mr.  G.  H.  Alston,  Mr.  G.  C.  Walker 
hy  Mr.  .las.  Forbes. 
Mr.  Leechman  having  taken  the  chair,  the 
notice  convening  the  meeting  was  read.  He  tlien 
said  :--Tiie  only  Imsiness  we  have  to  deal  willi 
today  is  to  conliiua  tlie  special  resolution  jiassod 
on  24  October  last. 
Proposed  by  the  CiiAi UMAX  : — “ That  the  Share 
Capital  of  the  Company  be  and  the  same  is 
liereby  increased  from  R400,000  to  K750,000,  by 
the  creation  of  700  shares  of  RSOOeach.” 
This  was  seconded  by  Mr.  J.\S.  FoRUES  and 
carried  nein.  con. 

A NEW  DEVELOPMENT  IN  THE  TEA  . 
TRADE. 
A meeting  of  the  Management  Committee  of 
the  Birmingham  Grocers’  Association  was  lield 
at  the  offices  of  the  Secretary,  Colniore  Row,  last 
night,  Mr.  J.  L.  Instone  presiding — Mr.  J.  Norris 
called  attention  to  what  he  described  as  the 
latest  development  in  tlie  tea  trade.  A large 
firm  of  local  tea  dealers  was  offering  pianos  as 
an  inducement  to  imrcliase  of  their  tea.  Grocers 
were  exhibiting  the  pianos  in  their  windows,  and 
he  regarded  this  as  a degradation  of  the  trade, 
Tlie  Association  had  protested  against  the  pre- 
sent system  in  the  trade,  and  thought  they 
should  take  some  action  in  this  instance. — 
Councillor  Jarvis  thonglit  the  members  of  the 
Association  had  tied  their  liaiids  in  the  matter. 
They  were  unfortunately  coinpelleil  to  sell  pro- 
prietary articles  which  were  aceomiiaiiied  hy 
presents.  He  understood  tliattlie  ohjeels  of  the 
linn  ill  question  in  offering  tlie  pianos  simply 
meant  diverting  a portion  of  the  money  they 
spent  in  advertising.  He  did  not  see  how  they 
could  oViject  to  sncli  an  arr.angement. — The  two 
members  of  the  linn  concerned  attended  the  meet- 
ing, and  explained  the  circumstances  under  which 
they  offered  the  pianos  saying  it  was  nothing 
more  or  less  than  an  .atHerLisemeiit. — A discus- 
sion took  place  as  to  wlietiier  they  avould  discon- 
tinue requesting  grocers  to  exhibit  the  pianos 
in  their  windows,  and  a jiromise  was  given  that 
no  further  firms  slionid  he  asked  to  exhibit  them, 
and  that  if  those  who  entered  into  arrangements 
to  do  so  were  willing  to  break  the  contract  the 
linn  would  not  object.  It  was  also  stated  that 
the  value  of  the  tea  was  ex.actly  tlie  same  as 
before  the  100  pianos  were  ollbieii.  A re.solution 
was  passed  that,  having  heard  the  explanation 
of  tlie  originators  of  the  new  development,  they 
he  requested  to  consider  how  far  tliey  could  meet 
the  wishes  of  tlie  As.sociation  in  withdrawing 
tlie  exliibition  of  the  pianos  in  grocers'  shop 
windows,  and  tlie  matter  dropped. — Binningham 
Daily  Post. 
