407 



Postal Service. 



Mr. Browell says that needless inconvenience and delay ace caused 

 by the late closing of the up mail, and proposes that the Superintendent 

 of Posts and Telegraphs be asked that a mail bag be made up to go by 

 the 9.10 up train from Batu Tiga daily. 



Mr. Jarvis seconds this, and other members having drawn atten- 

 tion to inconvenience caused by the late closing of the mail, the motion 

 is carried mm. con. 



Bolting Coolies. 



Mr. Jarvis says he understands that many planters besides himself 

 have suffered great losses by bolters. He does not suggest that any 

 particular method of stopping the evil be put to the P. A. M., for, were 

 a Commission appointed, they would naturally go into all the phases 

 of the question very closely. He thinks a step in the right direction 

 would be gained if coolies had to report to Assistant Superintendents 

 of Immigration before taking on a new job, instead of the system ob- 

 taining at present by which the new employer has to send in the name 

 after the cooly is engaged, this information being generally unreliable. 



Mr. Henly says this is a step towards cooly registration, which he 

 would like to see adopted entirely. 



Mr. Coibetta says he would like to see the word " knowingly " 

 left out of the last paragraph but one in Enactment No. 1 of 1907, as 

 this would make the employer much more careful in taking on straying 

 labour than at present. 



Mr. Solbe says he 'does not believe in much legislation for the 

 cooly, and that the responsibility should be made to rest more heavily 

 on the employer. 



Mr. Jarvis proposes, and Mr. Staples seconds. " That this Asso- 

 ciation urges the P. A. M. to appoint a Commission to go into the 

 question of bolting by coolies, with the idea of that Association subse- 

 quently reporting to Government on the matter." 



The motion is put to the Meeting and carried unanimously. 



Telephones. 



Mr. Jarvis says that, though complaints have been rife during the 

 past few months regarding the Telephone Service, nothing appears to 

 have been done to improve matters, and he proposes " that the atten- 

 tion of the Superintendent of Posts and Telegraphs be drawn to the 

 very unsatisfactory state of that Service." 



Mr. Browell seconds the resolution, which is carried mm. con. 



London Kubber Exhibition. 



The Chairman draws attention to the notices sent round inviting 

 subscriptions for the coming London Eubber Exhibition, and expressed 

 a hope that all Estates in the Association will come forward to support 

 the Exhibition, from which the planting community are certain to 

 derive great benefit. 



With a vote of thanks to the Chair, the Meeting terminated at 5 

 15 p. m. 



H. L. Jarvis 



Hon. Sec, 



