61 
to tax sugar from foreign countries that I invite your support. Were the 
duty removed from tea, coffee, and cocoa, and a tax to produce a like sum to 
that now yielded by such duty placed upon foreign sugar, it is quite certain the 
English people and the English Government would be none the poorer; but I 
think I shall be able to show you that the purchasing power of the poorest 
classes, 10 provide whom with a free breakfast table, which is the constant aim 
of the freetrader, would be increased. ‘The consumption of tea may be said to be 
general in England. All that is used is purchased by each consuming family 
in what I may call its plantation condition, that is—as has been before 
mentioned, nothing is manufactured from it. The average annual con- 
sumption of sugar in England is 77 Ib. per head, but of those 77 Tb. only 14 Ib. 
er head is used in its raw state by the family ; the balance being employed 
in the manufacture of confectionery. Now, confectionery. is a luxury. 
not largely used by the poorest classes, so the effect of the proposed alteration 
would be that well-to-do people would pay a little more for their confectionery, 
while the poorest classes would pay less for their tea. . Experts inform us that 
the increase in the cost of jam would be only half-a-farthing per lb. In 
submitting to you the advisableness of approaching Mr. Chamberlain, through 
our Government, on this subject, I would urge that it is one of Imperial im- 
portance, concerning as it does both England and the colonies; that it is a 
step in the direction of an Imperial Zolverein, and is certain of sympathetic 
consideration on the part of the statesman who so ably presides over the 
destinies of Greater Britain. 
After reading the paper, Mr. Leny suggested that the Queensland Govern- 
ment cable to Sir Hugh Nelson the result of their deliberations on this subject. 
Such a cablegram would strengthen his hands. He had already been written 
to on the matter. 
Mr. Tirynye said the paper Mr. Lely had been kind enough to read had 
come rather unexpectedly, and he doubted whether any ot those present were 
in a position to discuss it immediately. The subject was a very important one, 
aud he suggested that it be dealt with at a future sitting. The paper was then 
referred to the Recommendations Committee. 
CLIMATIC DIFFICULTIES, PESTS AND BLIGHTS IN NORTHERN 
CANEFIELDS. 
Mr. J. Leny (Ingham) said he had unfortunately been unable to prepare 
the paper set down for him, but with their permission he would be glad to 
make a few impromtu remarks’‘on the above subject. First came the question 
of climatic difficulties. There was a sort of notion prevailing among many, 
Southerners that those who lived in the North were well off.in many respects, — 
but he would like to give them a slight idea of many of the difficulties they had 
to contend against. It was very easy to acquire land certainly, but the chief 
difficulty they had to contend with was the climate. The malaria was always. 
around them. What the ultimate result of the Northern climate on Europeans 
would be he could not say. In India, it was known, people of European origin 
died out in three generations, and it was not unlikely the same thing would 
take place in our tropic North, unless a mode of life were adopted which would 
eounteract the influences of the climate. Of course, in the North of Queens- 
jJand they had casy access to a milder climate by getting on to the Herberton 
tableland. This climatic condition was at the bottom of the necessity for 
having a staff of labour which would not be affected by the malaria arising 
from the soil. The South Sea Islander, and those native born to such a 
climate, were not affected by it. ‘They retained their health in places where 
the white man was bound to succumb, and the white labourer knew it. 
He could not stand the work during the hot season. The Herbert River, 
where he (Mr. Lely) lived, was a paradise compared with “some of 
the Northern districts, but he remembered when the Werbert was a 
den of fever. But they had got over that, and for many reasons the 
