§ Lieut.-Colonel MEYLERasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he was aware that the average dividend declared by 31 London Ceylon tea companies for the year ending 31st December last was 30 per cent., the highest dividend being 60 per cent., when he made his recent statement that it was quite an ordinary thing for Indian and Ceylon tea companies to declare dividends of from 100 to 150 per cent.?
§ Mr. SNOWDENI would point out that the real dividends of tea and of some other companies cannot be accurately 1571W estimated from the nominal dividends declared, as these dividends are often paid on a capital which has been considerably increased by the gift of bonus shares.