4 



part, / think that rather than assisting private enterprise in the 

 erection of machinery and factories, it would be better for Govern- 

 ment to boldly take the matter in ha*td in the first instance by 

 starting small experimental works o t the lines indicated above. 



15. Hut whichever way it is done is perhaps immaterial, so that 

 something shall be done as soon as possible ; and agriculture, to 

 which the country and the people are so peculiarly well adapted, 

 shall have its fair share of recognition at the hands of Government. 



I have, etc., 



A. HALE, 



Collector of Land Revenue, Kuala Lumpur 



The Secretary to Resident, Selancok. 



[.C.T., F.M.S : 7-04. 



R.G. Misc : 7259-04. 



Office of the Inspector of Coconut Trees, 

 Federated Malay States, 



Kuala Lumpur, 11th January , kjuj. 



Subject : 



Encouragement of Agriculture among Natives, 

 Sir,— 



I have the honour to refer to my letter No. 1 74-03 to the Resident" 

 General of 11th November, 1903, 01 this subject as I have some 

 further suggestions to offer which the Government may perhaps care 

 to take into consideration. 



2. In the first place, I am of opinion if Government were to 

 erecL central depots or store-houses for the collection of coconuts to 

 be converted into copra in the districts where there are numerous 

 native holdings scattered about and the means of transport both 

 difficult and costly it would afford considerable assistance to the 

 owners. 



3. My scheme is that the natives should bring in all their sur- 

 plus coconuts which they have to dispose of to this "central depot " 

 and that Government make arrangements with some Chinese, who 

 are well up in the business, for purchasing the nuts so collected for 

 the manufacture of copra. I do not anticipate any trouble about 

 this, as provided the nuts are collected in sufficient abundance to 

 allow of constant employment and this certainly should be so, it 

 ought not to be difficult to find as at Jeram and other places, many 

 small Chinese traders of this class who I feel sure, will be very glad 

 of such an opening. The agreement between the contractors and 

 the Government being that the former shall pay cash for the coco- 

 nuts as received or deliverel by the natives at the depot. 



