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importance than any diseases can possibly be, for without 

 a steady and reliable and permanent labour supply at a 

 reasonable rate we should be unable to harvest our rubber 

 or deal effectually with any outbreaks of disease that may 

 occur. The question is such a very, very large one that it 

 is impossible for me to deal with it more than in outline. 



Briefly, for the last fifteen or twenty years (and in- 

 cidentally I was chairman of the first informal meeting 

 called by the few planters of Selangor in the year 1890) the 

 planters have been trying spasmodically to get some sort 

 of legislation whereby it would be possible for them to im- 

 port labour without the mortification and loss which occurs 

 in seeing such labour, imported, remember, with great 

 trouble and difficulty, drift away to non-importers of labour 

 such as miners, contractors, and other irresponsible persons. 

 The outcome of this work of years has undoubtedly been 

 the passing of the present Tamil Immigration Enactment — 

 the composition of the Committee appointed by the Resi- 

 dent-General, to which I have the honour to belong. This 

 Committee, with the best intentions, have framed certain 

 rules and regulations, their policy being to "flood the 

 country with labour." To meet the expense of doing this, 

 the Tamil-employing community is assessed at so much per 

 head of working men. This works out roughly at about 

 These fluids are employed by the labour Community in 

 $3 odd per acutal head of the Tamil labour employed, 

 various ways, chiefly in obtaining free tickets by the B. I. 

 steamers for immigrants from India. By the first rules 

 of the Committee it was allowable to recover sums of money 

 advanced in India, speaking from memory Rs. 11 or Rs. 13 

 per head; this allowed the kangany to advance a fair sum 

 in the villages to intending immigrants which was recover- 

 able at this end, thus allowing the immigrant to leave his 

 village with a quiet mind, knowing that his parents or wife 

 and children would be provided for until such a time as he . 

 could remit from his earnings. Owing, I believe, to certain 

 legal technicalities, it was found that no sums of money ad- 

 vanced in India would be recovered h^re, and, in vulgar 

 parlance, the labour committee was in "the soup." They 

 watered the soup by substituting what is called a recruiting 

 allowance by which bona fide importers of labour, such as 

 many of us are, received from the Department the sum of 

 $3.50 per head, now increased to $4.50 per head. Now, 

 gentlemen, I believe that an immense amount of harm has 

 been done by this action, apparently unavoidably, but I have 

 pleasure in informing you to-day that the Chairman of the 



