PART III. TancaNnyikA TERRITORY. SEED-CoTTON BOUGHT AT AUCTION MARKETS, 1922-25. Area. 1, 1923. lta, ' 25. Morogoro ~~ £8 £ Kgs. £ Rags. £ Kgs. £ & Kilosa 136,479 3,079 749,435 22,211 2,314,523 67,797(3) — — Rufiji 371,275 5,556 349,827 6,185 506,620 9,341 350,081 5,335 Lindi 6,007 146(1) 237,422 6,776 598,464 15,480 11,000 205(5) Mwanza 11,800 299(2) 67,424 1,646(4) 81,007 849 Kilwa 134,383 3,317 123,187 2,834 Dare Salou 131,204 3,757 90,433 2,293 Bogainoyo 417,222 11,851 14,105 170 Pangani 143,650 4,112 300,056 6,810 Tabora 143,250 2,030 << a Bukoba 81,571 1,906 11,820 113 Totals 513,761 8,781 1,348,484 35,471 4,538,211 121,237 981,689 18,609 Total seed-cotton sold by auction 1922-25 : 7,382,145 kgs. worth £184,098. (1) Mikindani only. (2) Experimental auction at Nassa. (3) Including some seed-cotton from Bagamoyo and Mahenge (4) At four centres. (8) At Tunduru. Mr. SIMPSON, in the ensuing discussion, explained the methods of selling cotton in Uganda in the eary stages of the industry. Mr. KIRBY said that in Tanganyika auctions were held at certain centres in the smaller producing districts. In the districts producing most cotton, selling took place at licensed stores in market centres. In reply to Mr. Holm, he said that agricultural officers were able to undertake the supervision of cotton buying as this occurred during times when the agreiultural officers were not busy. Mr. MILLIGAN said that in the Punjab, when a change was being made from Indian to American ‘Upland cotton, a similar scheme was employed. At first the purchase of small lots was made on a system of a premium over the native cotton. Later on auctions were instituted, but a great deal of cotton was not sold at these, their chief value being to establish the price. Most of the sales took place after the auction on the basis of the price at the auctions. At a later date the prices ruling on the Liverpool market were published in the markets and sales took place on the basis of these. Mr. WORTLEY stated that in Nyasaland cotton production by natives was increasing. A system whereby all cotton was purchased by the British Cotton Growing Association had been instituted. Half of the profits realised by the Association went to Government who did not share losses. This system had had the result of greatly increasing the production of cotton grown by natives. Mr. VAN DEN ABEELE remarked that in the Belgian Congo only licensed ginners were allowed to purchase in the official markets and then only up to an amount depending upon their capacity. The minima prices of cotton, according to grade, were fixed and published one month before their application. (See Ordinance of the 1st August, 1921.) 124 Os 24 1G.