525 



Last year, with a view to removing a possible cause of friction 

 amongst ourselves, we passed a resolution that no member of our 

 Association may employ any Tamil cooly who has previously been 

 employed by any other member, without the latter's consent. 

 I think, gentlemen, that we may congratulate ourselves on the 

 successful working of this rule. I believe there has not been a single 

 serious dispute during the current year and the most cordial relations 

 exist between the managers of every estate in our district. 



In matters relating to the constitution of the P.A.M., we 

 favoured the changes which recommended themselves to that body 

 and heartily supported the abolition of that tiresome and curious 

 anomaly known as "Sunday Names." We discussed several other 

 matters some of which are still under consideration. 



Three estate hospitals have been built. The largest, known as 

 the Kuala Langat Estates' Hospital, is subscribed to by all the 

 estates belonging to this Association, with two exceptions. These 

 hospitals provide accommodation for 3% of our total labour force and 

 prove, as anticipated, to be far in excess of the requirements of our 

 sick. It is interesting to note that the Resident-General ascribes the 

 improvement in health of our labour, in part, to the opening of the 

 estate hospitals. So far as estates in this neighbourhood are 

 •concerned, our rate of sickness averaged about before our 

 hospitals were built and there is no material improvement to be 

 noted since they were opened. 



The area under rubber and coconuts under European manage- 

 ment in this district now exceeds 12,000 acres. 



An interesting lecture on "The Build of the Para Tree," by 

 Mr. Gallagher, on March nth, 1909, and another by Mr. Pratt on 

 "Termes Gestroi," on June 20th, were well attended and greatly 

 appreciated. 



I think we might take this occasion to offer our congratulations 

 to the authorities on their choice of a successor to Mr. Carruthers. 

 In appointing Mr. Gallagher Director of Agriculture, the Govern- 

 ment has most happily shown its recognition, not only of the im- 

 portance of the science of mycology to agriculture, but of the merits 

 of an able and zealous officer. 



The application of scientific knowledge to our industry is a 

 question of steadily growing importance. On this subject the 

 somewhat surprising remarks of H. E. the Governor, at Penang, last 

 month, were ably replied to by the Chairman of the P. A.M. in so far 

 as the duty of the individual to the State is concerned. But as an old 

 colonist, I could not help comparing Sir John Anderson's view of 

 the duty of the State to the individual, as I listened to his speech, with 

 those generally held by the rulers of our great self-governing colonies. 



Let me give you an example. As soon as it had been demons- 

 trated to be possible for white men to make a living out of agriculture 

 on the Darling Downs, a well-organized Agricultural Department 



