489 



2. I am to add that the Resident-General considers 

 that planters should adopt measures for the safeguarding 

 of an article so valuable and so easily transported as 

 rubber. 



I have, etc., 

 (Sgd.) A. E. Venning, 



Federal Secretary. 



To The Chairman, 



U. P. A. 



Mr. Gumming agrees that the amount of rubber stealing 

 going on was immense. Their own coolies were doing it. 

 He did not blame so much the coolies, but the man they 

 wanted to get at was the man who was inducing them to do 

 it. 



The motion is then put to the vote and declared carried. 



X. Praedial Produce Enactment. Air. J. Gibson 

 proposes the following motion. 



"That the Resident-General be asked to inform this 

 Association what the term "latex" in clause 2 of the 

 Amended Praedial Produce Enactment means, and that, 

 if "latex" be not deemed to cover all known grades of 

 rubber, the Resident-General be asked to have the Enact- 

 ment amended to cover same." 



Mr. Parkinson having seconded it, Mr. Skinner pro- 

 poses the following amendment : 



"That this Association considers the definition of latex 

 to be "any plant juice which contains caoutchouc or gutta 

 percha," but would ask the Resident-General to obtain the 

 opinion of the Legal Adviser as to whether this reading 

 is correct, and if not, to have the enactment amended to 

 cover all grades of rubber." 



This is seconded by Mr. Gumming. 



Mr. Gibson thereupon withdraws his motion, Mr. 

 Skinner's amendment thereby becoming the substantive 

 motion. The latter is then put to the vote and declared 

 carried. 



XI. Becruiting in Bengal Presidency. The Hon. 

 John Turner wishes to bring up the question of recruiting 

 in Bengal. Three years ago they were recuriting labour 

 from Bengal but the Government of India put a stop to it 



