Page 34 Advertisements Column 1

Otago Witness, Issue 1933, 25 February 1892, Page 34

nn HE ENAMELLED PAN. It would be difficult to suggest a more apt or forcible illustration than is afforded by tho above heading to accentuate as it were tho punctilious attention demanded by advanced civilisation in matters of cleanliness in dietary. The countries of Eastern Asia were for ages the sole source of supply for many commodities required by the rest of tho world. But there is a yearly decline in the demand for articles which other countries have found it possible to. produce for themselves. China in particular has lost heavily in respect to her teaindustry, and unless her people avail themselves of the improved methods of handling and-, preparing foods adopted by other countries, andy become generally speaking more cleanly in theirhabits, little prophetic power is required to predict that within a very few years her intercoursewith the rest of the world will be confined strictly to those things regarding which she can/ maintain a complete monopoly. Everyone must have noticed the peculiar smell characteristic of everything Chinese. Take, for instance, a small sample of tea, and you will observe that whilst it may require special training to deteot the particular growth orjjclass, a very slight experience is necessary to enable anyone to decide by the smell alone whether it is Chinese tea or not. Seeing that the plants grown in the several great tea-producing countries are of the same species, it will appear strange to the uninitiated that there should be such a difference between Chinese and other tea, and for the information of those sufficiently interested to desire enlightenment, it may be explained that Chinese tea is terribly handled, every particle being passed in the various stages of preparation several times through the yellow fingers ofChinese labourers ; whilst the packing into . those mummy-like receptacles with which all are so familiar is contrived by pressure with . the naked feet. Those who saw the handsome, dainty-looking • fellows who waited on the tables at the Ceylon , Kiosk in the Dunedin Exhibition may be under - the impression that Ceylou tea is lingered by.' these mashers and their pretty sisters in precisely the same way as the Chinese article ; but. such is not the fact, as Ceylon tea is handlecV only in the picking, allsubsequentoperations to which it is subjected— even to the final packing in clean, strong, and wholesome-looking chests — being performed by machinery, under the supervision of European officers. Those who prefer to patronise British rather than Chinese interests will be glad to gather from fie above remarks that whilst displaying their patriotism they ure exhibiting their good taste and refinement, and at tho sains time establishing their claim to be considered in the. van of advancing civilisation. On the other hand, it is hard to overcome* habits, whether good or bad, when they areac iuired in early life or persevered in during; many years ; consequently it will not be surprising to find that some still persist in using Chinese tea. Indeed they may perhaps prefer it ! for there is no accounting for tastes. These people, hosvever, cannot derive any comfort from the much-flaunted opinion of Sir Andrew Clark when they remember that the most serious cases and worst criminals alway.s require and must obtain the most learned advocates. They will also be somewhat staggered to learn that in all parts of the world the opinion of this aged doctor is entirely ignored. With regard to Dunedin, to prove that those.capable of judging scientifically, and those who< bestow particular attention to questions o£" health as well as economy, see fit to exclude then Chinese product from their tables, it need: merely be remarked that all the doctors, withi the exception of one or two only, use Ceyloni tea, and that the authorities at the Seacliff.' Asylum have just renewed their contract for the supply of tea with the Ceylon and Indian; Tea Association. In conclusion, it is only fair to add that it is; evidence of a high appreciation of the goodsenso and refinement of Dunedin citizens (very flattering in its nature) to find a firm willing,' on the strength of it to encounter the opposi*tlon of wealthy and long-established interestß' in identifying itself solely with Ceylon and 1 Indian teas to the ontiro exclusion of Chinese;, and the speedy manner iv which their brand— - the Indian girl picking tea— ia becoming' familiar to all classes of tha community mustr; be a pleasing proof to tho Association tint I/M?" enterprise is duly appreciated,