834 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [June 1, isyy. 
a portion of the crop should, uadec such abuornial 
conditions as existed duriu<;tlie past year, have been 
dealt with before any recovery in prices took place in 
London, is instructive, audit is to be hoped that the 
measure of strength now acquired by producers will 
not be disturbed. 
The statistical position would seem to invite a freer 
supply, which in many cases would mean a coarser 
system of plucking and a consequent lowering of 
quality; under such couditions tlie outlook is not fa- 
vorable. The past year's crop was by no means a 
full one, and with tho increased yield during the 
current season from considerable extensions coming 
into bearing, there should, under normal conditions 
of weather, be quite sufficient tea to meet home re- 
quirements and also the iucreasing demands for out- 
side markets. With a large and inferior quality crop, 
lower prices must be looked for, and any recoveiy in 
value (signs of which are now aeenj cannot be main- 
tained. 
As regards manufacture, the foregoing remarks may 
be some guide in deciding upon the best course to 
pursue. In the districts Planters have betn fully alive 
to the situation, and every effort on their part will 
doubtless be continued to attain the best results. 
SELANGOK PLANTEHS' ASSOCIATION. 
LABOUR SUPPLY 
From tlie official minutes of the annual general 
meeting held in the Victoria Hotel, Kuala Lum- 
pur, on Saturday, 2oth February, we take the 
toUowing : — 
Mr. Carey, (Chairman) proposed the following, resolu- 
tion viz : — " That in view of the increasing demand for 
Tamil labour in this State, it is desirable than an 
understanding should be arrived at amongst employers 
with respect to the employment of labourers from 
other estates, and this Association is of opinion that 
members should individually guarantee to knowinj:ly 
employ no cooly or gang of coolies from another 
estate without the express consent and good will of 
their previous employers. In order that fair play 
may be assured in every case and that the liberty 
of the coolies may not be unreasonably curtailed 
all employers shall have the right of appeal to the 
Committee of this Association, whose decision shall be 
final and failure on the part of any member to comply 
with the Committee's ruling should be at once at- 
tended by the prompt expulsion of such offending 
member from the roll of the Association. In case, 
where coolies who ha^e been a cause of trouble to 
their previous employer, have been engaged in good 
faith and in ignorance of the facts on another estate, 
the Committee shall deal with each such case upon 
its merits and their decison as to the course to be 
followed shall be final, and neglect on the part of 
members concerned to comply with their ruling shall 
be attended by expulsion from the Association ; 
special emergency meetings of the Committee to 
deal with these questions will be held upon members 
advising the Honorary Secretary of their desire 
to have a settlement of such disputes arrived at." 
Mr. Carey said it was of vital importance that there 
should be combination amongst the planters so as to 
be masters of the coolies or the coolies would be 
masters of the planters. In Ceylon great trouble had 
arisen through coolies moving about without reason- 
able restrictions and in consequence advances had gone 
nr) by leaps and bounds until it had become a serious 
matter indeed for proprietors. In Ceylon kanganies 
left estates unless they got anything they wanted and 
if Selangore Planters were not careful they would find 
themselves in the same position. Under the present 
system a cooly can legally give a month's notice and 
leave the estate and another planter would take him 
or but planting etiquette was stronger than law and 
this resolution would prevent coolies from acting in a 
manner which was unfair to their employers. The 
coolies' interests however must also be safeguarded and 
Q case o£ a very unhealthy estate, thejr sliould.ha 
allowed to leave if such was their wish. Boyoolting *ud 
unreasonable restrictions were obviated by the second 
part of the resolution, for it gave the right of appeal 
to the Committee, men iu whom presumubly the Asso- 
ciation iiad confidence and who would see that no in- 
justice was done. The labour question was a most 
serious one, but treated on the lines of the resolution, 
there would be no friction. There was no earthly 
reason why a planter sho jld say he was dependent 
upon his neighbour for labour, yet anyone who opposed 
that resolution practically did say so. There was 
every reason for believing that Government would 
meet the planters fairly in this matter and if coolies 
left a planter without sufilcieat cause oo CiovernmeBt 
Department would employ them. 
Mr. C Meikle in seconding the reboluiion said that 
similar a proposition had been discussed some years 
ago and that the effect of that discussion had been 
W'ondcrful. The cooliea understood from it that 
iiuropeans would stand by each other and the passing 
of this resolution would have the effect of miking 
tho coolies contented and would be a guarantee that 
a planter would get a return for his outlay iu bring, 
iug our labour from the coast. He hoped the resolu- 
tion would be passed unanimously. Mr. W W 
Uailey said he agreed with all that had been said 
and approved of the resolution, but he would go fur- 
ther and would like to see every planter present 
guarantee to import a certain number of coolies from 
the coast. Now that many estates were coming 
into crop it was found a great difl&cnlty to keep 
coolies where heavv pickings were in force as ibsy 
preferred such works as weeding, <kc., which was 
easier. He was prepared to guarantee to take four 
times as many coolies as he now had on Lowlands 
and if the other planters would do the same Govern- 
ment would be impressed with the importance of 
granting reduced fares. 
Mr. Gibson said that certain representations had 
been made through the U P A to the K G with • 
view to having the present cheap-ticket syetem 
extended, for another year, and he believed that such 
would be done. The passing of this resolution would 
necessitate the importation of coolies from the coast 
as local supply would virtually cease. 
Mr. Carey sympathised with what bad been said 
but pointed oat that it was impossible for planters 
to say off-hand how many coolies they wanted. Com- 
petition with each other would cause a rise in the 
price of labour, but the resolution did not mean com- 
petition. A definite statement as to the number of 
coolies each planter would import was very necessary, 
but it was impossible to make such a statement then. 4 
The resoluiiou on being put to the meeting was 
carried unanimously, 
Mr. Carey proposed the following resolution viz : — 
'■That the Government be accorded a hearty vote 
ef thanks for their prompt action in rendering as- 
sistance to the Superiutendent of Petaling £8tate 
by sending down large gangs of coolies to help him 
iu clearing his coffee of caterpillars, and also for 
temporarily remitting the export duty on coffee," 
and said he could only characterise the action of 
Goverunient as magnificent. 
Mr. Bailey in seconding the resolutios said that, 
but for the grand assistance of Go<'ernment. and 
that from other Estates, not only Petaling but many 
other Estates would have been absolutely ex- 
terminated, and he took that opportunity of publicly 
thauking Messrs. Mitchell and Poulett for their as- 
sistance. 
The resolution was unanimously carried with ac« 
clamation. 
The meeting then proceeded to ballot for a Chair- 
man and Secretary for the new year with the result 
that Mr. Carey was elected Chairman and Mr. 
Gibson, Hon. Sec. practically unanimously. 
William S. Aemstrong, who owns a rubber 
plantation in Nicaragua, writing from Natalbany, 
La, iuvitea correspondence from persona wishing to 
gurchase rubber tree seeds,— /.>;fir'w ^ubiir World, 
