Ii6 



Kuala Lumpur District Planters* Association : 



" Resolved that the recommiiedation of the Sub-Committee ap- 

 pointed by the P. A. M. be supported, viz., 'that a special cess be 

 levied on all locally recruited Indian labour/ 



"Carried by '9 to I." 



Malay Peninsula Agricultural Association : 



" That in the opinion of this Association an increase of assess- 

 jiient on all Indian labour would be a more advisable way of raising: 

 the necessary funds than by incrcasinj^j that upon locally recruited 

 labour and that this Association therefore do not agree with the 

 recomniendation of the Sub-Committee appointed by the Planters* 

 Association of Malaya. Furthermore, that if Government (P.W.D. 

 and the Railway Department) t^mploy labour it is nothing but fair 

 that they should also pay." 



Before the conclusion of the meetinj^ the Hon. R. Young moved: 



" That any alteration in the rate of assessment for coolies should 

 also provide that the Settlement of Singapore should be brought into 

 line with the rest of the Colony and the Federated Malay States. 

 The exemption of Singapore was unfair to Penang, Province Welles- 

 ley and the F.M.S. The coolies employed in merchants' godowns 

 carrying cargo to and from steamers also pay no assessment, the 

 excuse being that a different class of cooly is employed. It would be 

 more equitable to place these coolies all on equal terms and not that 

 the assessment should fall on certain sections of the public only." 



Kuala Selangor District Planters' Association : 



"That this Association, while sympathising with Mr. Mansergh's 

 proposals re the employment of local (Indian) labour, would suggest 

 as an alternative, in the event of such proposals proving impractic- 

 able, that any employer engaging coolies from another estate l)e 

 liable to the last employer for all expenses to wiiich he has been put 

 in connection with the engaging of such coolies (such expense not to 

 be reckoned at less than $20 a head). We further suggest that the 

 Immigration Department be approached with a view to the enforce- 

 ment of the law regarding the reporting of cases in which local 

 {Indian) labour is being employed." 



Batang Padang District Planters' Association : 



"The Committee are of opinion that a Labour Department, 

 formed somewiiat on the lines suggested by Mr. Mansergh, and 

 worked Independently of the Indian Immigration Department, would 

 be an advantage to planters. But the Committee consider that the 

 proposed assessment of $20 would be intolerable to other communi- 

 ties; and would, besides, so handicap the Indian cooly that the 

 ■Government could hardly be expected to consent to its imposition. 



