LOOK TO YOUR TEA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 237, 6 October 1871, Page 4

LOOK TO YOUR TEA.

(From the Times.) .A. deputation, representing the wholesale and retail tea trade, recently, waited on the President of the Board of Trade* asking that some means might be taken to prevent the trade in. spurious .tea. The tea dealers and grocers associated in a memorial, set forth! that they- desired to draw serious attention to the continued importation of spurious tea, ..calling on Government to condemn all tea which has been proved unfit for human food. A great quantity of spurious tea had been recently imported, and they pointed out that it was not only detrimental to health, but would ultimately injure the revenue, as the consumption of tea would be considerably interfered with if the public mind became imbued with the notion that any rubbish may be imported and sold under the name of tea. Dr. Letheby had made an analysis of various adulterated teas. In one case he found 25 per cent, of steel-filings. ; Tea was adulterated with willows and other leaves. With respect to one tea, called " Maloo Mixture," it was principally composed of spent or used tea-leaves ; it was mixed purposely with earthy and other matter for coloring purposes, was exposed to the suu to dry, and gathered a great deal of dirt and filth. The President of the Board of' Trade, said that even at present he did not see how he could take action in the matter, as the Commissioner of Customs! had no power to prevent the circulation of tea after the duty had been paid ; but would communicate with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the subject. ;

Effects of Eating Tutu Pith. — The Grey River Argus says : — On Thursday afternoon several children, were playing in the bushi on the flat below S wipers' Gully, Ross, and amused themselves by eating tutu pith. Three of the poor little creatures, named Tuckey, Morgan, and Johnson, all about four years of age, were very ill ; but we are glad to learn that the two last-named, after vomiting freely, appeared to be mending. At a late hour the same night the poor child Tuckey was still in a very precarious state, being very much convulsed. , Parents should strongly impress on their children the danger of eating this shrub, as any part of it is poisonous. A Correspondent of the Pastoral Times, writing from the Darling back country, says :— " I have had a good* deal of experience in the colonies — 14 years in Victoria, and '■ seven in New South Wales, and all that time bu stations— and have hot witnessed such a productive lambing season before. Where hands were employed the average per cectage was from 111 to 135, and afc large in paddocks from 80 to 106. Had there been rain the per centage would have been incredible; rain is much needed, having had none for months." Latest Californian papers thus report on harvest prospects : — " The grain crop of California will not be nearly up to the average. There will be 100,000 tons for export, but this large quantity is not one-sixth of what it would have been under, favorable circumstances. The grape crop will be larger than ever. The wine crop is variously estimated for this season at from 5,000,000ga1. to 10,000,000ga1. j probably about 6,500,000ga1. will prove not far from the mark. ' The market for our wines in the Eastern States is steadily improving." The , Prince Imperial of Prussia. — The Times, in speaking of the visit of the Prince and his Consort to England says that " he is the heir to a crown which is at once. l the most ancient, the most modern, and the most powerful on the Continent. In the welcome accorded to the Prince an appreciation' • 'of his " personal merits will have greater -influence than the claims of his position. .. He cptnes among us* as the hero of military achievements unsurpassed, if equalled, in the world's history, and he has won these honors not .by mere formal. ..service, buc by the force of ability and energy. ; The Prince was no honorary Field . Marshal in the late tremendous struggle. 'He has also won as much honor for his gentleness, as his prowess in war, and his opponents have done frank homage to his generous and gentle behaviour in doing all that was, possible to; deprive war of its worst motives and characteristics." ' England and ; Germany. -^ England and Germany have no interests which should divide them,. and they have paramount interests which should unite them. They are the. t^p great repressq Natives of freedom of thought, and t of religious 'ami social progress. 1 .They nave rendered mutual services to each other in this great cause for several centuries. It should be their : only aim ,to stand by each other in maintaining peace and sheltering freedom. i--Tto.iß%!) s.