29 



11. WHITE ANTS. 



The Secretary reads the following correspondence : 

 No. 5089/1909. nth November, 1909. 



Sir, — With reference to your letter of the 9th October, 1908, in 

 which you state that the Planters' Association of Malaya is prepared 

 to guarantee £2,000 as their share of a £5,000 reward to be offered to 

 any person discovering a cheap and effective method of exterminating 

 White Ants, I am directed to inform you that the Director of Agricul- 

 ture has addressed this office, and has submitted a report on the 

 applications sent in by persons desirous of competing for the prize. 



2. Mr. Gallagher has recommended that the prize be withdrawn, 

 and he has stated that the Director, Botanic Gardens, Singapore, and 

 the Chairman of your Association are in agreement with his opinion 

 that none of the applications merit the award, that it is unlikely that 

 the prize will ever be awarded, that the offering of the prize is only 

 giving unnecessary trouble to his Department and that the award 

 should therefore be withdrawn. 



3. Mr. Gallagher's recommendations have been submitted to 

 His Excellency the High Commissioner who has approved them 

 and I am to enquire whether your Association agree to the with- 

 drawal of the award. 



4. The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, Straits Settlements, 

 is being addressed in similar terms as regards the opinion of the 

 Colonial Government with reference to the proposal of withdrawing 

 the award. 



I have, etc., 

 (Sgd.) R. G. Watson, 



Federal Secretary. 



The Federal Secretary, F.M.S., 



Kuala Lumpur. 13th November, 1909, 



Sir, — I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter 5089 

 which I will lay before my Association at their next Meeting on the 

 5th of December, when I have no doubt your suggestion will be 

 adopted. 



I have, etc., 

 (Sgd.) H. C E. Zacharias, 



Secretary 



Agreed unanimously, to withdraw the award, as suggested by 

 the Federal Secretary. 



12. BENEVOLENT FUND. 



At the Chairman's suggestion, this matter is allowed to stand 

 over until the next Meeting. 



The Meeting terminates at I p.m. 



H. C. E. Zacharias, 



Secretary. 



