92 SANITATION AND HYGIENE ON TROPICAL ESTATES 



improvement in agriculture. By this he undoubtedly meant 

 that such works were not likely to remain effective unless 

 extension and improvement of agriculture formed part of 

 the general scheme; in other words, that subsequent 

 maintenance of anti-malarial works was of equal import- 

 ance to their proper execution. Provision must be made 

 for maintenance at the time when the works are pro- 

 vided for. 



Whatever arguments are put forward for the good to 

 be derived from any particular measures affecting health, 

 they are not likely to be productive of action on the lines 

 advocated, unless it can be shown conclusively that such 

 measures will result in a sufficient return to those who 

 undertake them. It is not anticipated that the fact that 

 proper and thorough drainage will eradicate malaria will 

 be disputed, as the point was proved many times even 

 before the method by which the disease is transmitted 

 was established. The object of this portion of the paper 

 is to show that sufficient knowledge has been gained for a 

 definite statement to be made as to the cost of eradicating 

 malaria in the Federated Malay States, and hence in 

 other similarly situated countries. The original cost of 

 thoroughly draining hill-land in the Malay States, unless 

 it possesses quite exceptional features, will not exceed 

 $36 (4 45.) per acre of gross area drained, and will 

 generally be much less. (The rates of wages for 

 labourers are: Tamils 35 cents about iod., and Chinese 

 about 65 cents about is. 6d. per day.) Thorough 

 drainage in hill towns will cost, as a rule, a little more 

 than this, as many features have to be included which 

 should really form part of ordinary town drainage, and 

 more attention must be paid to appearance. The cost of 

 maintenance may be accepted as about 10 per cent, of 

 the first cost in the year following construction, and 

 5 per cent, in subsequent years; these are the maximum 

 normal figures, but it must be remembered that undesir- 

 able saving in expenditure on construction will most 

 certainly lead to heavier charges for maintenance, and 

 also that maintenance should commence on the day that 

 construction ceases. 



It is at present considered necessary to drain all land 



