542 
to section 8, which he thought was not properly understood. This 
clause stipulates that all passages to be taken for coolies must be 
declared by the Superintendent of the Depot 24 hours before the 
time fixed for the sailing of the steamer, and that passages so 'de- 
clared shall be paid for even if not used. 
The Chairman, after giving the meeting a recent experience of 
his own, which had involved the loss to him of Rs. 154, stated that 
in this instance Dr. FOSTON had refused to apply for a refund of 
passage money although the Steamer Agents were agreeable to 
repay the amount. It was essential, he considered, that the risk of 
loss should be minimised in connection with recruiting operations, 
and he thought that the Government should be asked whether it 
was intended that Dr. FOSTON should adhere to the strict. letter of 
the clause referred to, even to the extent of declining to apply for 
a refund. If Planters are to support the State-aided ticket system 
they must not be exposed to what would appear to be any unneces- 
sary risk of loss ; for, speaking for himself, he had ne''er lost a 
single cent when he got his coolies over ordinary passage tickets, 
and he did not p-opose to incur any loss now if he could help it. 
The Madura Company had acted as his Agents for some years 
now, but this w T as the first time that he had had to complain of any 
loss in this way. If the Government enforced this clause, he 
thought it would be cheaper to bring coolies over under the ordin- 
ary passage of Rs. 13. 
Mr. Meikle, in supporting the Chairman's proposal, said that he 
did not think the Government would enforce the clause, seeing the 
risks the Recruiters ran of losing their coolies in Negapatam, from 
bolting, illne.ss, and being induced to leave their original Recruiter 
through others offering better terms. 
The meeting then unanimously agreed that a letter on the subject 
embodying these views should be addressed to the Resident-General. 
(,g) Read letter No. 2028/02 from the Acting Secretary to 
Resident, Selangor, to the Honorary Secretary, United 
Planters’ Association, forwarding the following statement 
of “Coolies Imported by Railways and Public Works 
Departments ” during the year 1901 : — 
STATEMENT OF COOLIES IMPORTED BY RAILWAYS 
AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENTS DURING 
THE YEAR 1901. 
' ' ' — 
No. of 
Coolies 
landed at 
Klang. 
Cost of 
coolies 
landed at 
Klang. 
Average 
cost of 
each coojy 
j landed at • 
Klang. 
Railway ... 
Public works Department ... j 
L 732 
5 M 
f ' if- j 
43,840 1 i 
12,1 66 38 ; 
!$ c, 
25 3 i 
23 67 
