Jan.  I,  1897.] 
THE  TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST 
453 
Of  Course,  there  is  no  authority  over  sucli  men, 
the  Protector  would  have  nothing  to  do^  with 
thenij  and  only  the  common  law  of  the  Colony 
would  affect  them  or  their  employers.  It  is  only 
fair  to  say  that,  despite  lower  wages,  the  planters 
are  looking  askance  at  these  men,  but  they  Jiiay 
be  secured  by  the  inexperienced.  A question  sug- 
gests itself  in  connection  with  these  men.  Ilow  will 
they  be  affected,  if  at  all,  by  the  new  Indian  Immi- 
gration Liaw  ? That  law  provides  for  re-indenture, 
return  to  India,  or  a penalty,  ilow  are  those  con- 
ditions to  be  applied  to  men  introduced  inde- 
pendently, and  who,  as  we  know,  are  coming  in 
boat-loads  of  300  to  500  ? If  there  is  no  application, 
it  is  probable  there  will  be  demand  for  amendent 
of  the  law  to  cover  all  Indian  labourers  employed  on 
estates,  farms,  &c.  In  that  way  the  difficulty  may, 
perhaps,  be  met,  birt  the  alternative  may  he  to  drive 
these  men  to  enter  the  competiug  ranks  of  Shop- 
keepers and  small  farmers.  Anyway,  this  phase  of 
the  question  is  a new  mid  interesting  one.  Amongst 
demands  in  connection  with  the  agi'ation  is  that  tlio 
duty  of  3s.  6d.  on  sugar  should  be  abolished.  See- 
ing that  sugar  has  done  so  wall  lately,  (his  seems 
a fair  and  equitable  demand,  but  (he  planter  main- 
tains that  its  removal  would  be  a groat  mistake.  Tiie 
amount  added  to  the  price  of  tlieir  sugar  is  noth- 
ing but  it  is  just  sufficient  to  enable,  them  to  manu- 
facture profitably.  The  amount  of  the  duty  does 
not  go  into  their  pockets,  but  the  exchequer  of  the 
Colony  gets  the  benefit.  Its  removal  would  have  the 
effect  of  introducing  an  inferior  sugar  into  the 
market,  whereas  at  present  the  consumer  gets  a 
good  article  at  a reasonable  rate.  Abolish  it  and 
harm  is  done  to  a big  industry,  which  may  be  crippled 
by  competition,  with  the  result  that  up  would  go 
the  price  of  the  imported  and  inferior  and  foreign- 
made  article.  Where,  then,  the  benefit?  The  same 
contention  is  made  in  regard  to  tea.  Ilqmovc  the 
6d.  duty,  and  you  admit  all  sorts  of  rubbish  (some 
of  it  now  is  bad  enough  in  all  conscience !),  and  at 
no  cheaper  price  than  that  now  required  for  the 
pure  and  unadulterated  colonial  article.  Further,  the 
tea  industry  would  be  crippled,  the  Colony  at  the 
same  time  losing  trade  benefits  and  the  revenue  the 
exchequer  now  derives  {ro:n  the  duty.  It  is  thought 
by  some  people  that  the  planter  pockets  the  equi- 
valent of  the  dut}^  on  tea,  but  he  does  nothing  of 
the  kind.  He  charges  the  lowest  level  price  for  his 
tea,  the  consumer  gets  it  cheaply,  and  the  colonial 
revenue  benefits  by  the  duty  on  the  imported  article. 
On  this  point,  and  on  the  great  benefit  the  Colony 
has  derived  from  the  introduction  of  the  Indian,  the 
planter  is  unswervingly  strong,  and  asserts  that  those 
who  are  so  warm  in  the  Indian  agitation  do  not 
look  all  round  the  question,  being  rather  led  away 
by  fancied  or  at  best  minor  grievances,  instead  of 
weighing  the  undeniably  great  advantages,  as 
against  the  minor  drawbacks.  In  comparison, 
the  Colony  (whatever  the  planter  may  have 
done)  has,  it  is  held,  been  enormously  bene- 
fited, and  that  the  introduction  of  the  Indian 
labourer  was  the  best  thing  that  Colony  ever 
did.  In  proof  of  the  folly  of  prohibition,  Queens- 
land is  pointed  to,  where  Indian  labour  vvas  slopped 
and  Kanaka  labour  tried  instead.  What  v.'as  the 
restrlt  ? So  serious  were  the  effects  of  the  banish- 
ment, so  rapidly  did  the  indiis’.ry  decline,  so  dis- 
astrous were  the  effects  on  trade  generally,  ihr.  t 
the  very  man  who  introduced  the  expulsion  measure 
moved  for  its  repeal,  for  reversal  of  his  policy, 
and  for  a return  to  former  conditions.  Tjev-vnig 
that  branch  of  the  question,  and  going  to  another 
as  affecting  colonial  industry ; the  question  ryas 
asked  why  Natal  tea  was  not  pushed  in  the  English 
market,  where  Indian  and  Ceylon  teas  have  done 
so  well.  That  at  once  brought  out  another  reason 
why  the  Natal  growers  should  bo  encouraged  as 
far  as  can  legitimately  be  done.  “ Hive  us  the 
same  conditions  as  our  competitors  in  other  parts 
of  the  world,”  said  one,  “ an  1 we  will  compete.” 
Enquiry  as  to  the  disidvantage  led  to  the  informa- 
tion that  currency  affected  the  question  to  a very 
important  extent.  In  Ceylon  the  Indian  labourer 
is  paid  in  rupees,  and  the  difference  between  that 
currency  and  English  coin  is  often  considerable- 
This  enables  the  grower  to  send  his  tea  to  the 
Eu^li.'h  market,  for  which,  of  course,  he  is  paid 
in  Eimlish  money.  Were  it  not  for  this  maigin 
in  tho°  cost  of  labour  it  is  very  doubtful  whether 
tea-growing  would  pay  in  Ceylon  and  India,  and 
it  is  thi.s  advantage  which  tells  against  the 
Natal  grower,  who  has  to  pay  for  his  labour 
in  Brilish  coin.  V/!iero  hundreds  of  Indian 
iabourers  are  concerned,  it  will  be  seen  that 
the  difference  in  the  aggregate  is  consider- 
able, and  that  it  precludes  the  Natal  grower  from  send- 
ing his  tea  to  the  English  market  withany  piospect  or 
profit.  As  a fact,  the  competition  in  that  market  is 
exceedingly  severe,  and  when,  in  addition,  the  com- 
parative high  coat  of  shipping,  and  the  ffeects  of 
drought  and  locusts  on  food  crops  are  consider®“>  •I' 
evident  the  di.sabililie.s  are  not  of  a light 
There  is  no  question  as  to  the  suitability  of  th®  I-® 
grow  good  tea.  That  has  been  abundantly  prov®*^) 
no  one  can  doubt  it  after  gazing  upon  the  hundred® 
thousands  of  acres  in  Victoria  County  covered  w^**^  I'h® 
pretty  and  luxuriant  tea  qilant,  and  seeing  th® 
turned  into  the  article  of  commerce.  The  Cap® 
the  Transvaal  have,  therelorc,  to  be  looked  to  as  the 
markets  of  the  future.  These  again  are  affeit®^  by 
Customs  duties,  but,  had  the  Natal  Government’s  pro- 
posals at  the  last  Customs  tlonference  been  acc®pfed, 
the  barrier  would  by  free  trade  . iii  South  Afri- 
can produc'.s  have  been  removed,  each  Colon 7 and 
State  would  have  been  benefited,  Jand  at  least  two 
iinporlani,  industries  in  Natal  would  have  been  im- 
mensely encouraged.  It  is  hoped  that  the  time  is  not 
far  distant  when  an  under.standiug  will  be  arrived  at 
by  which  South  Afiiean  neighbours  will  be  enabled  to 
supply  each  other  freely  with  artices  of  commerce  that 
e ich  requires.  The  foregoing  is  given — without  imply- 
ing occurrence  with  the  views  expressed — as  an  exposi- 
tion of  some  of  the  arguments  of  colonists  prominently 
connected  with  indnsirial  enterprise  in  Natal. — C.W. 
— Xalal  Mercurtj,  Oct.  23. 
o- 
TEA  COMPANY  MEETINGS. 
THE  LANKA  PLANTATIONS  COMPANV,  LIMITED. 
The  ordinary  general  meeting  of  the  shareholders 
of  this  company  was  held  at  the  offices,  12,  Fen- 
churcli  Street,  on  Wednesday  last. 
The  Chair  was  occupied  by  Mr.  George  Allen, 
chairman  of  the  directors,  and  amongst  those  present 
were  Messrs.  William  Austin,  Henry  Bois,  and  Edward 
Fettit,  directors. 
The  Secretary  ('!r.  Robertson)  read  the  notice  con- 
vening the  meeting,  and  the  minutes  of  the  previous 
meeting  having  been  read  and  confirmed,  the  Chair- 
man said. 
Gentlemen, — I presume  you  will  take  the 
repDort,  which  I hope  you  will  take  fairly 
satisfactory,  as  read.  Referring  to  the  para- 
graph.T  given  therein  in  their  order  you  will  observe 
first  th.'.t  tbe  coffee  crop  snipped  to  Londou  w'aa 
005  cwl.,  against  1.371  cwt.  last  year,  a deficiency  of 
700  cwt.,  and  a deficiency  in  cash  of  ±‘3,807.  In  1894 
wo  received  about  the  same  as  now,  aud  I hope  that 
next  year  the  figures  will  be  equal  to  those  of  1895, 
although  I doubt  it.  The  coffee  grown  on  the  estates 
is  certainly  as  fine  as  any  grown  in  Ceylon.  With 
reg;iid  to  cocoa,  we  now  have  1.50  acres  more  than  in 
189.7,  the  cost  of  the  land  and  the  new  planting 
having  been  charged  10  capital  account.  Prices  have 
been  somewhat  lower.  We  have  always  produced  an 
extremely  good  crop  from  the  estate,  and  continue 
to  add  to  the  acreage  by  buying  small  bits  of  land 
from  the  natives  as  opportunity  occurs.  Referring  to 
tea,  the  next  item  in  the  report,  I may  mention  that 
the  increase  ill  the  quantity  received  from  the  estates 
during  the  year  as  compared  with  last  year  w’aa 
118  113  lb.,  representing  an  increase  in  cash  of  £4,460. 
Our  teas  always  maintain  good  prices,  and  I think 
that  great  credit  is  due  to  onr  Supierintendents  for 
having  so  well  maintained  the  quality  of  tlie  teas. 
With  regard  to  L’le  sf 'c  inent  showing  the  acreage  of 
