168 



mittee would have passed the rule regarding recruiting 

 allowances. 



Mr. Gibson supports the motion, as he thought that 

 they should have their own representative, and he was 

 certain that such a course would avoid much friction in the 

 future. He thinks that when a candidate was nominated 

 by the Government, his views were apt to be affected. 



Mr. Lake supports Mr. Jarvis, but disagrees with Mr. 

 Gibson's remarks re the Government nominee's attitude. 

 Did they mean to imply, that their elected representative 

 should have no opinion of his own at all, but be merely a 

 mouthpiece of theirs? 



Mr. Skinner would assure them, that during the time 

 that he had served on the Immigration Committee, he had 

 always endeavoured to represent the planters' views; but 

 surely every man had a right to his own opinions. As for 

 the principle of the motion, he was thoroughly in favour of 

 it and had much pleasure in supporting it. 



Mr. Jarvis' proposition is then put to vote and carried 

 unanimously. 



XIII. Voting then takes place on Mr. Irving 's motion 

 (vide paragraph 8), which, however, is slightly modified, 

 viz. 



' ' That the Recruiting allowance is against the interests 

 of the Planting Community." 



This is carried by 10 votes to 6. 



XIV. Mr. Harrison having welcomed the visitors 

 from Malacca, the affiliation of the "Malacca Planters' 

 Association" and of the "Raub District Planters' Associa- 

 tion" is approved of, to take effect from April 1st. 



XV. The Secretary places on the Table: 



a. The Annual Report of the Planters' Association of 

 ( Vylon for 1908. 



b. A letter, dated the 16th February, from the Borneo 

 ( 1 o. Ltd., in re Negri Sembilan Planters' Association. 



c. A letter, dated January 8th, from Mr. W. K. 

 Rutherford. 



XVI. Director ok Agricultuke. The Chairman 

 thinks, that before closing, the members of the Association 

 would like to express their appreciation of the efforts of 

 M r. Carruthers, Director of Agriculture — who was on the 

 point of departure to Trinidad. He had had many diffi- 

 culties to contend against, in organizing and equipping his 

 department thoroughly. He would propose that a hearty 

 vote of thanks he recorded on their Minutes to the first 



