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V. Indian Immigration Committee. The Secretary 

 reads the following letter : 



6th May, 1909. 



The Federal Secretary, F. M. S. 

 Kuala Lumpur. 



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

 letter No. 1397 of March 25th and to inform you that same 

 was laid before the Members of this Association at their 

 last Meeting held on the 25th ultimo. 



The discussion thereon having been postponed until our 

 next Meeting, I was instructed to hold over my reply until 

 after that date. 



I have, etc., 

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



Secretary. 



Mr. Lake proposes the following motion, standing in his 

 name : 



"That H. E. the High Commissioner instruct the 

 Chairman of the Immigration Committee that no proposal 

 involving a financial change he submitted to the Immi- 

 gration Committee without two months' notice of such in- 

 tended change having first been given in writing to the 

 Planting Members of the Committee." 



In introducing this propositon, Mr. Lake points out, 

 that the question of qualification was not the point at 

 issue at all. The anomaly consisted in the fact, that, as the 

 Indian Immigration Committee Meetings were at present 

 conducted, it was impossible for the Planting Members to 

 know beforehand, what the opinions of the majority of 

 planters would be on a point, which might only have been 

 brought before them at that very Meeting. The Planting 

 Members on the Indian Immigration Committee not having 

 sufficient notice given to them, were precluded from con- 

 sulting this Association. Any member sent up by this 

 Association to the Committee would try to support the 

 views of the Association. But at present they could not, 

 because they did not know what was coming up at a Meeting 

 until they got there. If they were informed before-hand, 

 they could express the views of the Association and also 

 their private views if these differed. Where drastic finan- 

 cial changes were involved, it would be wise of Government 

 to consult the Association. The Government had hitherto 

 always worked hand in hand with them and he hoped they 

 would continue to consider them as an advisory body on 

 matters agricultural. 



