55 
Office of Conservator of Forests, 
F.M.S. and S.S. 
1160-40/1903. Kuala Lumpur, 16th November , 1903. 
Re Encouragement of Agriculture among Natives. 
Sir,— 
With reference to your Misc. 7 259/1903, forwarding a printed 
copy of a letter from the Supt., Government Experimental Planta- 
tions, on the subject of encouragement of agriculture among natives 
and asking for mv views and recommendations thereon, 1 have the 
honour to inform you that, as you are aware, my knowledge of the 
Malay is necessarily very limited. Although I think there is some 
truth in the opinion expressed in para. 7 of the letter, still I believe 
that were the Malay agriculturist more energetic he would find a 
ready market for many articles that he could grow with ease — 
such as fruit, padi. I have myself seen many places all over the 
Federated Malay States which appear to me ideal places for padi 
cultivation still covered with jungle or bluker. Were compulsory 
measures possible I should personally advocate them, as from what 
I have read their effects are most advantageous in Java. This, I 
presume, is not contemplated and therefore beyond the point. 
2. I think that, at any rate, in Perak, there is another reason 
for the backwardness in agriculture shown by Malays. I have been 
informed that they take up land as a speculation and let it out or 
sell it to Chinese. In this I may be wrong, but I have beard that 
many Malays live in this fashion without doing any work. 
3. I think that much might be done by making more stringent 
conditions when alienating land to Malays. The occupation should 
be permanent and penalties should be exacted for non-fulfilment of 
condition of the grant. 1 venture to think that Malays are treated 
too leniently, and, in fact, are somewhat over-fostered, and that il 
left more to work on their own responsibility they would find that 
they must work. 
4. As regards para. 4 of Mr. S. Arden's report it would be 
interesting to know if the Malay-worked coffee estates were kept 
in good order. I have never heard that they were. 
5. As to proposals in para. 5 (2), I do not think anyone would 
be found willing to take up such an enterprise, as he has no cer- 
tainty of getting any crop of any sort, this depending entirely on 
whether the Malays choose to take the trouble to supply the same. 
6. The scheme in itself, I think, is good, but I think that the 
feeling of Malays in the matter would have to be very accurately 
gauged before Government committed itself to lend support or 
financial aid. The letter, I think, is one deserving of attention and 
