615 



3. The Secretary reports that no reply had been received yet 

 from Government regarding the Resolution forwarded by him in res- 

 pect of §§ 4, 7 and 13 (July 19th, 1908). 



The Secretary is instructed to write in again and solicit an early 

 reply from the Resident-General. 



Representation on the Legislative Council. 



4. Mr. C. L. Gibson moves the following proposal standing in 

 his name : — 



" That considering the vastly increased importance of planting 

 interests in the F. M. S. and Johore, this Association considers it 

 expedient to approach H. E. the High Commissioner with a view to 

 his granting an additional planting representative on the Legislative 

 Council of the Colony." 



He reminds the meeting that in his speech at the opening of the 

 last Agri-Horticultural Show in Kuala Lumpor, His Excellency the 

 High Commissioner had expressed his approval of the formation of the 

 Planters' Association of Malaya, as it not only served to focus opinon 

 of the planting community as to their wants, but also was a represen- 

 tative body which the Government could rely upon for advice. They 

 would take His Excellency at his word and approach him in order 

 that the representative views and knowledge of the Association could 

 be brought direct before the Council in Singapore. It was unfortunate 

 that there was no Federal Council of the F. M. S., and that legislation 

 had to be initiated in Singapore. 



As this, however, was the state of affairs, they had to reckon with 

 it, and he thought the best way would be to have another Member on 

 the Council. Nobody recognized more than he did the excellent work 

 done by the Hon. John Turner; but one planting member was not 

 enough, especially as the interests and methods of the different districts 

 of the Peninsula were quite distinct. To illustrate the size of the 

 interests at stake, he put before them the following facts and figures : — 



1. Capital Invested. 



(Very incomplete— rubber only.) 



Paid up F.M.S. $21,483,353 

 Straits (Colony) 3,734,160 

 Johore 1,942,543 



$27,160,056 



say $30,000,000 probably all in 3 years £3,500,000 

 2. Acreage under Rubber. 

 (Exclusive of Johore and the Colony), 

 At end of 



1907 Rubber 126,235 Acres. 



Coffee 10,833 

 Sundries 24,695 



161,763 



