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impossible to start a regular campaign, because most estates are 
already infected with the disease, and labourers coming from 
Southern India are also infected; and therefore I do not think 
much amelioration of this disease can be expected until 
adequate treatment and notification of the disease is under- 
taken on the estates, just as they have been with success in 
British Guiana recently. But as regards malaria, although in 
Ceylon we have been discussing this question for well-nigh 
sixteen years, I am sorry to say we cannot show the brilliant 
results which have been achieved in the Malay States. We 
have not got out of the stage of discussion and general com- 
mittee work started by the Government, and I am afraid that 
until a permanent Malaria Board, or something of the kind, 
is formed, and a competent staff of permanent officials are 
told to set measures going, we shall not achieve much result 
in mitigating malaria in Ceylon. For one reason, we may 
say that conditions are rather different from those of the 
Malay States. In our hill country, in altitudes above 2,000 ft., 
we have no malaria at all, and between 1,000 and 2,000 ft. only 
a few spots which are slightly malarious; while, on the other 
hand, in the low country we have intensely malarial districts, 
in some of which the splenetic index is over 80 per cent., and in 
many others very high indeed. But so far we have not gone 
in for any practical scheme which has done any permanent good. 
Therefore, I think it is quite essential that for the permanent 
reduction of malaria in these malarial distri¢tts we should have 
a Malaria Board, with a permanent staff of officers, to carry 
on the work in a complete manner. 
Mr. E. G. Broaprick (British Resident, Selangor, Federated 
Malay States): Sir—I would like to say just a few words on 
the attitude of the Federated Malay States Government in 
regard to the liquor question, which has been brought up 
to-day. The addiction of the Indian coolie to liquor has been 
a source of anxiety to everybody connected with him for a 
great many years past. I remember the time when port wine 
was his favourite drink. It was said it could be laid down in 
the country at two dollars a case, exclusive of duty. It has 
now been superseded by spirits of European origin, and there 
are constant complaints by the planter of his coolies being in- 
capacitated, and of permanent bad results being effected in his 
labour forces, owing to the amount of liquor consumed by the 
coolies. It has now, by an enactment passed not long ago, 
been made a criminal offence to sell European spirits to any 
agricultural labourer of Indian origin, and proceedings have 
been taken under this enactment in several cases with very 
good results. Convictions have been obtained, and it is well 
known now that spirits may not be supplied to Indian coolies. 
