THE ROMANCE OF TEA.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13727, 17 August 1908, Page 7

THE ROMANCE OF TEA.

(Extract from Evening Post, August , 8, 1908.)

Tlie romance of tea has yet to be, written, and a most interesting work it should he. One of the most instructive chapters would he the displacement of China teas by those of India and Ceylon. New Zealand, too, would have a place on the romance, for her consumption per head is about 6£lbs of tea per annum for every person, man, woman, and child, in the Dominion. Indian and Ceylon teas mlade,m l ade , their first appearance in New Zealand nearly thrity sear* ago, when they were introduced- by Nelson, Moate, and t-0., who handle no other teas. So steadily has this firm grown that, while some of the princely houses of London and elsewhere have fallen behind in the trade, or given it up ''altogether, Nelson, Moate, and Co. have never looked back, and it is claimed they are to-day doing tho biggest tea trade, on a population basis, of any other house in the world/ The growth of the business has ieen such , as to necessitate the erection of large and specially designed premises, and these have just been occupied. They are situated in Victoria arid Blair Streets, and have a most striking appearance. Reinforced concrete has Jfcjen wsed throughout, and, except for doors and sashos, the buildings are absolutely fire-proof. They have been designed for the handling of four million pounds of tea annually, which is about two-thirds of the total consumption of tea in New Zealand. In the course of* a chat with Mr H. Nelson, who has had 35 years' experience of tea tasting and blending, a m*presentativ© of the Post learned, yesterday,, that taste in tea was largely governed by the chemical constituents of the water used. In the tasting-room yesterday, teas wore seen in the process of tasking — teas from tho chest, teas of various blends, teas for special purposes and special districts, . were being tested for colour, strength* -tnno of infusion, and other characteristics. The electrically driven machinery was seen at work, and perhaus the most interesting process was that of leaf-breaking. When teas leave the (gardens they arc of various sizes or leaf, and these must be broken down to size, in order to effect blending. Then the tea must be cleaned, i.e., freetf from dust. When mixed the tea is stored in groat bins, whence it is taken for packing in tins, lead-foil, paper — and even billies for mining communities. The packing, blending, making of tins, and other work incidental to tho business keep a largo staff busily employed. Eventually the firm intends supplying the trade direct from India and Ceylon through their Wellington headquarters only, instead of having branches at Auckland, Dunedin, and Christcburcb, us at present. Nelson, Moate, and Co. have not only these branches, but have branches in Colombo and Hobart, and their interests in Calcutta are watched by one, of tho largest of the great TVlinn tea houses. Nelson, Moate, and Co. is the oMe<tt firm engaged in tho tea trado in Australasia.