149 



generally carried into effect, viz., Sec. 91 of the Labour 

 Enactment Gen. 1904, and Sec. 83, III of the Indian Im- 

 migration Enact. 1904. 



I am further to add that the members of this Associ- 

 ation are quite satisfied with the tenour of the law, as it 

 stands, provided it is carried into effect; but would respect- 

 fully submit that an additional rule be issued, enjoining the 

 Prison Authorities to give timely notice direct to the em- 

 ployer in question regarding the exact date of release from 

 gaol of convicted absconders. 



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



Secretary, 



Kuala Lumpur, F. M. S. 



22nd December, 1908. 



Sir, — I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your 

 letter dated the 14th December, 1908, on the subject of the 

 return to their estates of coolies who have been convicted 

 of absconding and have served a term of imprisonment, and 

 to state that the Resident-General trusts that your fear 

 that the existing laws are not generally carried into effect, 

 may prove on further inquiry to be unfounded. 



2. I am to add that employers are presumably aware 

 of the periods of imprisonment to which labourers in their 

 employment are sentenced, and that they have only to make 

 a note of this to enable them to adopt suitable measures in 

 connection with the release of their employees. 



(Sgd.) M. S. H. McAbthub, 



Ac/. Federal Secretary. 



To The Secretary, 



The Planters' Association of Malaya, 



Kuala Lumpur. 



Mr. F. G. Harvey says he had ascertained that all they 

 had to do was to represent the matter to the magistrate, 

 and the coolies would then be sent back to the estate. 



Air. Hunter cites a case where such return of coolies 

 had cost the estate $9. 



Mr. C. E. S. Baxendale thanks that the alternative was 

 to send up a kangany. . 



Air. Lake agrees that that could be done, but pointed 

 out that they did not know when the coolies were being 

 released, 



