ANdLO-DUTCH PLANTATIONS.
Considerable interest is always taken in the statements made by the Chairman at the annual meeting of the Anglo- Dutch Plantations of Java by reason of the fact that its interests are so widely spread, the company's profits being affected not merely by tea and rubber developments, but by many other crops such as coffee, rice, tapioca, &c. At the annual meeting, held last week, the Chairman, Sir Robert Williams, was able to make a very satisfactory report of conditions for the past year, as may be gathered from the fact that the profit was no less than £ 55o,000 compared with £200,000 in the previous year, so that the directors were enabled to advance the dividend from 4 to 7 per cent. after making inefid additions to reserves. With regard to tea, Sir Robert mentioned the satisfactory improvement in the statistical position, stocks at the end of June last having declined 'to 544,653,000 lb. as against 234,000,000 lb. at the end of last year. The Regulation Scheme, he said, had relieved the market of the -depressing influence of the heavy weight of stocks, and, with prices rising, the prospects might be regarded as encouraging. Sir
Robert also took a favourable view of rubber prospects. * * * *
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