148 



I have submitted the report received by you to Mr. H. 

 L. Jarvis, and now beg to enclose his reply. 



(Sgd.) H. C. E. Zacharias, 



Secretary. 



January 28th, 1909. 



Dear Sir, — Thank you for forwarding the answer re- 

 ceived from the Federal Secretary, re cooly bolting. 



I have been to Klang at least three times during the 

 past half year to try and trace bolted coolies with the help 

 if information which should be easily obtainable at the office 

 of the Assistant Superintendent of Immigrants. At the 

 time of my visit in November, the A. S. I. was away visit- 

 ing estates, and I asked the clerk for the register. This 

 had not been written up for several months, but he pointed 

 to some bundles of paper on the floor, told me I might 

 look through them, and asked me where my coolies had 

 bolted to. I paid another visit on December 7th, but could 

 find no entries in the register kept, from May. 



My object in mentioning the matter at the P. A. M. 

 meeting was to show what a dead letter Enactment No. 1 of 

 1907 (Selangor) is. To my own knowledge many hundreds 

 of local coolies have been engaged and no intimation has 

 been sent the Superintendent of Immigrants, and it would 

 be interesting to know in how many cases the Government 

 has taken proceedings against such employers for not send- 

 ing in the particulars required by the Enactment. 



The Government wish to get as many new coolies 

 brought over as possible, and is defeating its aim in thus 

 easily allowing labour to be engaged locally, and by giving 

 such poor encouragement to those who do legitimately re- 

 cruit from India. 



(Sgd.) Harold L. Jarvis. 



Mr. Jarvis having further explained the circumstances 

 of the case, it is resolved, to let the matter stand over, until 

 a reply is received from Government. 



IV. Return of Convicted Absconders. The Secret- 

 ary reads the following correspondence: 



14th December, 1908. 



The Federal Secretary, F. M. S. 

 Kuala Lumpur. 



Sir, — I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your 

 letter No. 5171 of October 21st. 



In reply I am instructed to say that the replies received 

 by me from the four Residents and referred to in my letter 

 of October 9th, seem to indicate that the existing law is not 



