217 
piletl — a slow,  tedious,  and  expensive  work.  All  other  works,  such 
as  cutting  roads,  weeding,  clearing  and  levelling  building  sites, 
were  also  delayed  by  the  abnormal  weather  experienced  during  the 
latter  part  of  the  year;  while  sickness  among  the  coolies  was  rife. 
Sickness  among  not  Only  making  it  extremely  difficult  to  obtain 
coolies.  labour,  but  impossible  to  get  anything  like  a fair 
day’s  work  from  the  coolies  employed.  It  might  be  worth  while 
recording  the  fact  that  while  levelling  the  site  for  the  Superinten- 
dent’s bungalow,  which  is  situated  on  the  top  of  a laterite  hill  in 
the  centre  of  the  gardens,  that  no  less  than  four  Javanese  coolies 
out  of  the  five  so  employed  died  from  fever.  The  felling  of  a 
further  23^  acres  was  commenced  in  December,  but  not  completed 
within  the  year  under  review. 
II.  A set  of  Javanese  coolie  lines  have  been  built  at  a total  cost 
Buildings:  coolie  of  $213.50.  These  are  50^x30',  consisting  of  two 
lines.  rooms,  and  provide  accommodation  for  30-40  coolies. 
Thev  are  raised  about  4^  feet  from  the  ground,  the  floor  and  walls 
are  meranti  planks,  the  roof  nipah  ataps,  the  supports  being  chiefly 
petaling.  A temporary  set  of  Tamil  lines,  36' x 24',  were  erec'ed 
on  the  abandoned  tapioca  estate  close  by  the  side  of  the  nurseries 
on  account  of  the  sickness  prevailing  among  the  Javanese  coolies 
on  the  newly  opened  land.  These  are  built  entirely  of  ataps,  ex- 
cept the  supports,  sleeping  benches  and  doors.  They  provide  ac- 
commodation for  25  coolies,  the  total  cost  being  $100. 
A small  tool  shed,  18'  x 12',  was  also  erected  al  a cost  of 
Tool  Shed.  |8o. 
Owing  to  the  fact  that  there  is  only  one  man  in  the  district  who 
will  undertake  construction  work,  the  prices  of  these  works  are 
probably  somewhat  higher  than  would  otherwise  be  the  case  ; while 
the  prices  of  building  materials  have  advanced  considerably  during 
the  past  few  years. 
A 60-feet  span  wooden  bridge  was  constructed  across  the  l)a- 
Construciion  of  maiisara  river,  connecting  the  land  previously  opened 
bridge.  as  a luirsery  site  with  the  site  proper  of  the  Experi- 
mental Plantations.  I'he  bridge  is  built  entirely  of  merbau,  the 
cost  being  $1,700. 
I 2.  A site  was  selected  and  levelled  on  a hill  about  300  yards 
Superintendent’s  from  the  Plantations,  during  the  month  of  May,  for 
Bungalow.  the  erection  of  the  Superintendent’s  quarters,  't  his 
site,  however,  was  disapproved  of  as  it  was  not  actually  on  the 
Plantations,  with  the  result  that  the  Superintendent  was  wdthout 
quarters  for  the  remainder  of  the  year.  During  the  first  three 
months  of  the  year  the  Superintendent  lived  at  Kuala  Lumpur, 
journeying  to  and  from  Batu  Tiga  by  train  each  day.  His  quarters 
there  being  required  for  another  officer,  he  was  by  the  kindness  of 
the  late  Mr.  Barnwei.L  accommodated  at  the  Bungalow  on  the 
Sungei  Rengam  Estate.  'I'his,  however,  necessitated  a walk  of  3-1 
miles  to  and  from  work  each  day,  so  that  in  September  he  again 
moved  to  the  halting  bungalow  at  Batu  Tiga,  which  had  in  the 
