200 



UNITED PLANTERS' ASSOCIATION, 

 P. M. S. 

 Report for 1906. 



Gentlemen —Your Committee have the honour to submit for 

 your consideration the tenth Annual Report of the United Planters' 

 Association, F. M. S. 



Meetings. 



:neral and 

 one conference of Delegates from all 

 affiliated bodies. 



Labour. 



The question of introducing labour in sufficient numbers to 

 develop the large areas of land 'in private hands and for maintaining 

 the land already under cultivation in its highest state of productive- 

 ness continues to be the most important matter before the Planting 

 Community. Large numbers of Indian Immigrants arrived during 

 the early part of the year until the unfortunate outbreak of cholera 

 in August, when recruiting received a check from which it has not 

 yet entirely recovered. 



According to figures accorded by the courtesy of the Superin- 

 tendent of Immigrants the number of coolies employed on estates 

 on 31st December 1906, was 19,354 as against 9,672 at the end 

 1905, a satisfactory increase, but it is to be hoped that the figures at 

 the end of 1907 will show a much larger increase. 



From a considerable number of estates no returns have been 

 received, so above figures are only approximate. 



According to figures obtained from the same source, during 190 

 12,686 coolies were imported from India into Selangor, while there 

 were 696 deaths and 2,776 coolies absconded. 



In Negri Sembilan 2,186 new coolies arrived from India, there 

 were 245 deaths and 406 absconders. rf 



The total employed on 31st December was divided as to 1 

 in Selangor and 3,091 in Negri Sembilan. rn 



Competition for labour in the recruiting grounds of Sort^ 

 India, is probably keener at the present time than it has ever h t 

 and it is to be hoped that every employer of labour in the Fed* 

 Malay States will help towards J common cause, by doing d 

 his power to make this country popular with the cooly, and, 

 the fact is generally known in India, that this is a country ^ 

 good money is to be earned, and where individual coohw*,, 

 looked after, it is to be trusted that a constant stream of mm 

 will set m, which will never stop until all our wants are ^ ^ 

 . As an instance of what the employment of labour in this ^ 

 is domg for the poorer districts of India, it is interesting ^ 

 that during 1906 the sum of Rs. 2,00 4 ,555 was remitted 



