39 ^ 
Indian Depots, — I he Government ! iave been recommended to 
move the Negapatam depot to Madras from which port it is sug- 
gested that the steamers should sail direct to Penang. This de- 
parture, however, your Committee venture to think would be an 
altogether ill-advised experiment. It seems sufficiently plain that 
in dealing with an ignorant but every conservative class of men, as 
the Tamil coolies undoubtedly are, manv unfortunate misconceptions 
as to the change may arise, and emigration may be seriously im- 
peded, Without in any way questioning the suitability of Madras 
for the purpose suggested, we none the "less feel that the Negapa- 
tam depot should certainly be maintained until the coolies have got 
accustomed to the Madras route, when, if it has in the meantime 
been demonstrated that the latter is beyond all doubt the best, the 
Negapatam depot might be done away with. We desire to em- 
phasize this opinion very strongly, for we consider that an issue of 
great importance is involved, at the same time we are sstisHcd that 
the Government will not arrive at any final decision, without duly" 
weighing the arguments tor and against the proposals. 
Malay Peninsula Sugar Industry Association. — A letter 
was received last September from this body inviting the co-opera- 
tion of your association in formulating “ a scheme of recruitment of 
coolies in India. It was felt however that our interests in this 
question were divergent and that no good could result from an 
acceptance of the offer. 
Experimental Gardens. — 111 the early part of the year your 
Chairman was asked by the Resident-General to visit and report 
upon a block of approximately 72 A acres in the neighourhood of 
Sungei Rengum Estate, Batu I iga, which had been selected and 
cut out by the Superintendent Experimental Plantations. The re- 
port sent ill, whilst not suggesting that the land was in any way 
exceedingly rich, was in favour of the selection. Upon the matter 
being brought before the Association in meeting however, it was 
decided that an area of 72A acres was insufficient for the purpose, 
and, one member who was well acquainted with the locality stating 
his belief that the block in question was quite unsuitable on the 
grounds that the remaining 127^ acres which had not been inspected 
were impossible to drain, it was resolved to ask the Government to 
postpone a final decision until a Committee of 5 members had visited 
and reported upon the whole 200 Acres. This suggestion the 
Government acceded to with the result that the block was con- 
demned. Mr. W. W. Bailey on behalf of the Selangor Rubber 
Company then offered {he Government 200 acres of the Sungei 
Rengum Estate adjoining Batu I iga Station, on certain terms which 
the Government accepted; the land was visited by a second Com- 
mittee and reported to be suitable, and the gardens will be started 
ay soon as the Government obtain a transfer of the land, a transac- 
tion, which, for various reasons, has been considerably delayed. In 
the meantime the Superintendent has started his nurseries on a 
piece of Government land adjoining the 200 aepes. A special Com- 
mittee consisting of the Chairman of the Kuala Lumpur Gardens 
Committee, Messrs. K. V. Carey and C. Meiklh, has been ap- 
