592 
THE TROPICAL AGEICULTUKIST. 
[March 1, 1900. 
the taring of packages on which the draft dispute 
was settled, has not yet been iutroduced, owing to 
the objection of some of the impoiteis to clause G 
of the new regulations. There seems at x^resenfc no 
prospect of a settlement being ai>rived at, and if 
this concession ba lost, the draft dispute v^ith its 
resultant disorganization of prices will have been 
fruitless. 
KELANI VALT.EY RAILWAY. 
Your Committee regret that they cannot as yet 
report that the construction of the line baa been begun. 
The Engineer in charge has been engaged during the 
year, in surveying portions of the line, according to 
the recommendations of the Consulting Bogiueers. 
The survey was finished in August, and the report is 
now, we believe, unaer consideration by the latter. 
The survey of the private lands lequired f 'r the c n- 
struction of the line is now proceeding ; this and the 
proceedings in connection with the purchase of the 
lands will take some time. On the whole, youf Com- 
mittee cannot but feel disippointed with the islow pro- 
gress made in commencing this railway, which has 
been an urgent want of the district for many years. 
H. B. the Governor visited the district in Januiiiy and 
fully explained the reasons for the delay, and your 
Committee feel assured that the work will now be 
pushed on with all despatch. Your Committee rfgi et 
that Mr. Mackintosh, the late Chief llesident Engi- 
neer of Bailway Extension, was obliged to resign his 
post owing to ill-health, and wisli to record their 
thanks to him for his services in connection with tlie 
survey of the railway. Blr. Oliver has been appointt-d 
in his place, and your Committee have every confi- 
dence in this appointment, Mr. Oliver having already 
had many years experience in railway construction in 
the island. Your Committee take this opportunity of 
oSering the Hon. VV W Mitchell a hearty vote of 
thanks for the able and painstaking way in which he 
hasalwaysadvocated the construction of the railway and 
learn with much regret of his of retirement from the 
Legislative Council of Ceylon. 
Medical. — The health of the coolies has been fpJr 
during the year. The extension of the Avisawella 
hospital was sanctioned in December, 1S98 ; the first 
step in connection with the purchase of the 
necessary land were taken in June last and the Ian 1 
has since boen acquired, and the foundations of the 
new wards are now being cut. Your Committee regret 
the long delay in connection with this moat neoes- 
Bary work, ai the accommodation at this hospital is, 
and has been for some years totally inadequate to 
the needs of the district served by it. During the 
year the hospital visitor drew your attention to the 
insufficient supply of clothing and nursing attendance 
in this hospital. The matter was brought to the 
notice of the P.C.M.O., and is nov/ the subject of 
correspondence. Your Committee hope that the de- 
ficiencies pointed out, will be rectified. In this 
connection, your Committee would drav/ your atten- 
tion 10 the unwarranted attack made, in his report for 
1898, by Mr. Arunachalam, the Ragistrfr-Geueral, on 
the lowcountry planter. After quoting figures to show 
that, jwhile the ratio of mortality amongst 
labourers on upcountry estates is less than that 
amongst the upcountry Sinhalese, on the other hand, 
the ratio of mortality amongst the labourers on low- 
country estates, greatly exceeds that of the low- 
country Sinhalese. Mr. Arunachalam proceeds as 
follows :—" The conclusion seems to be almost irre- 
sistible that in the newly developed estates of the 
lowcountry districts, the labourers' health is not looked 
after by his employer in the same manner as in the 
upcountry districts with their long traditions of ex- 
cellent relations between employer and employed, 
and that it is necessary to resume the system of 
Government medical supervision abandoned some 
years ago." 
While Mr. Arunachalam is, doubt, an emineut 
authority on statiBlics, he cannot be said to be an 
authority on medical or sanitary matters, and an 
attack from such a quarter might well be passed 
pVer in siJeuce. Neyerthel^Bs your CQmmitte? tbiuH 
it best to put the following reply on record. The 
question of hospital accommodation and medical at- 
tendance is one which has occupied attention 
at almost every meeting of llie Association since in 
foundation, and we have continually keptbefore Govern- 
inert the necessity for exicndiug hospital accom- 
modation in iiccordance viiib the increase of the 
acreage in cnlfcivation and of the estate population. 
In addition to this, the majoiity of estates have es- 
tablished at a 1 onsiderable co-it to private dispensaries 
(for which the Government supplj' medicines free) 
for the eaiiy iroatment of disease. While your Com- 
mittee regret the large ratio of mortality, they are 
convinced thi.t there is no such evasion of duties as 
is imputed, but that the causes thereof lie beyond 
your coati jl. Aldaiial fever and the diseases con- 
nected iher'-with are the principal source of illness 
amongst the low country estate population. As is 
v/ell-known, these diseases are always prevalent in 
low country districts such as the Kelaui Valley, and 
until medical soic-iicti is more advanced it will not 
be possible to control them. 
Telkgiui'Hi. — During the year, the telegraph wire 
has been exte.ided to Buanvvella. Y'our Comuiittee 
regret to have to report that the Post-master General 
still refuses t j open a Tc-legraph Office at Dehiowita, 
Iliougli the v.iie pa£:-cs the door of the Post Office 
Your Committer hope ilu.t the PM G will see his 
way to concede this small boon a,t an early date. 
lloAiis. — The state ot the roads in the district has 
again been a source of much trouble and complaint. 
Toe Pliiitiijg Member, at your request endeavoured to 
obtain a lirger vote for upkeep during the year but 
without succtss. The vote for upkeep being indeed 
reduced. The dry weather duiing the last six months 
has been against repairs being executed, but the 
roads will never be in a satisfactory state until a large 
amount has been spent in putting them into 
thorough repair, the present vote being quite insufli- 
< ie;it for that purpose. lu this connection, your 
Committee would impress upon the Direcior of 
I'ublio Works the vital importance of keeping the 
I'istrict communications in a thorough state of re- 
pair, until the completion of the Railway. i'our 
Committee regret very much that the Government 
has not decided to construct a bridge over the 
Algoda River, so as to bring the Pau:<\vala Korale in 
direct road commuuication with the Railway station 
at Dehiowita. They regard the construction of a 
causeway, with approaches at a gradient of 1 in 14, as 
altogether unsound. Moreover, they think it is an 
engineering mistake and will be liable to be Wished 
away in heavy floods. 
A causeway was built on the Ritigaha Oya Eiver 
some years ago, but a bridge had later to be substituted 
as the causeway was found unsuitable. 
Labour. — The supply has been fair during the year 
but your (Committee regret to note that the number of 
emigrant coolies has largely exceeded the number of 
immigrants during the past 12 months. The con- 
struction of the railways now sanctioned, will require 
the services of some thousands of coolies. The subject 
of recruiting this labour has been before the Parent 
Association, who appointed a sub-committee to cou- 
sider the m.itter. This Sub-Committee has drafted a 
report containing suggestions and recommendations, 
which has been forvparded to Government. 
The Government have practically agreed to recruit 
labour required in India, and to appoint a Commis- 
sion to consider the question. Your Committee have 
read with lively satisfaction the speech of the Colonial 
Secretary in Council, on this subject. 
K, V. Labouk b'EDERATioN. — The K. V. Labour 
Federation has continued to work satisfactorily during 
the year. In August the Dolosbagie and Yakdeasa 
Association affiliated itself with the K. V. Labour 
Federation, and a scheme has been adopted for the 
settlement of disputes between the members of each 
district. 
Blights have attracted considerable attention 
tluring the year, throughout the Planting districts, 
