542 



to section 8, which he thought was not properly understood. This 

 clause stipulates that all passages to be taken for coolies must be 

 declared by the Superintendent of the Depot 24 hours before the 

 time fixed for the sailing of the steamer, and that passages so de- 

 clared shall be paid for even if not used. 



The Chairman, after giving the meeting a recent experience of 

 his own, which had involved the loss to him of Rs. 154, stated that 

 in this instance Dr. FOSTON had refused to apply for a refund of 

 passage money although the Steamer Agents were agreeable to 

 repay the amount. It was essential, he considered, that the risk of 

 loss should be minimised in connection with recruiting operations, 

 and he thought that the Government should be asked whether it 

 was intended that Dr. FOSTON should adhere to the strict letter of 

 the clause referred to, - even to the extent of declining to apply for 

 a refund. If Planters are to support the State-aided ticket system 

 they must not be exposed to what would appear to be any unneces- 

 sary risk of loss ; for, speaking for himself, he had ncer lost a 

 single cent when he got his coolies over ordinary passage tickets, 

 and he did not p-opose to incur any loss now if he could help it. 



The Madura Company ha "I acted as his Agents for some years 

 now, but this was the first time that he had had to complain of any 

 loss in this way. If the Government enforced this clause, he 

 thought it would be cheaper to bring coolies over under the ordin- 

 ary passage of Rs. 13. 



Mr. Meikle, in supporting the Chairman's proposal, said that he 

 did not think the Government would enforce the clause, seeing the 

 risks the Recruiters ran of losing their coolies in Negapatam, from 

 bolting, illness, and -being induced to leave their original Recruiter 

 through others offering better terms. 



The meeting then unanimously agreed that a letter on the subject 

 embodying these views should be addressed to the Resident-General. 

 (g) Read letter No. 2028/02 from the Acting Secretary to 

 Resident, Selangor, to the Honorary Secretary, United 

 Planters' Association, forwarding the following statement 

 of " Coolies Imported by Railways and Public Works 

 Departments " during the year 1901 : — 



STATEMENT OF COOLIES IMPORTED BY RAILWAYS 



AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENTS DURING 

 THE YEAR 1901. 





No. of 

 Coolies 

 landed at 

 Klang. 



! 



Cost of 

 coolies 

 landed at 

 Klang. 



Average 

 cost of 

 each cooly 

 landed at 

 Klang. 



Railway ... 



Public works Department 



514 



$ c. 

 43,840 11 

 12,166 38 



9 r. 

 23 67 



