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Hospitals, 
Your Committee regret to report that the past year has been 
abnormally unhealthy more especially on estates situated in the 
neighbourhood of Batu Tiga and some parts of Negri Sembilan. 
In November 1906, certain rules in connection with the Indian 
Immigration Enactment 1904 were gazetted as regards the establish- 
ment of estate hospitals. 
The request of your Committee that a representative Committee 
should be appointed to discuss the whole question before the new 
rules were enforced, was refused by Government and at a General 
Meeting of your Association, beld in Seremban on 24th January 
1907, it was unanimously decided to refer the whole question to the 
Secretary of State for the Colonies. 
The action of Government in this matter in forcing on the Com- 
munity a scheme, which everyone interested in is firmly convinced 
will prove unworkable, is much to be regretted, more especially 
when it is taken into consideration that planters one and all, are 
only too anxious to do everything that is possible to improve the 
health of their labour and would have loyally supported any 
scheme, that appeared to them to have the least chance of 
attaining the desired end. 
Quarantine. 
When Immigration had reached its height in August Cholera 
unfortunately broke out among coolies on their way over from the 
coast and subsequent cases occurred on other steamers, with the 
result that all available quarantine accommodation at Penang and 
Singapore was very quickly filled to overflowing, and for a time 
immigration had to be stopped. 
Considerable credit is due to the Medical Authorities for having 
prevented the disease from spreading into the country, but your 
Committee feel that sufficient foresight had not been taken by 
Government to deal with the large numbers of coolies, who might 
have reasonably been expected to come into the country to develop 
the large area of land that had been alienated during the previous 
year. Your Committee we're in favour of the establishment of a 
quarantine station or segregation camp at Port Swettenham, but this 
was not considered feasible by Government, and it is to be hoped 
that the course decided upon, namely to increase the accommodation 
at Penang and the building of segregation camps at the ports of 
embarkation in India, will be equal to the task that will be required 
of them. Your Committee earnestly urge on Government the im- 
portance of their having all their new buildings ready for the rush 
of coolies that may be anticipated later in the year. 
Your Committee regret to report that Government have refused 
to bear any portion of the heavy expenditure thrown on the 
Planting Community owing to the lack of sufficient quarantine 
accommodation, one lot of coolies having been moved backwards 
and forwards between Penang,, Port Swettenham and Singapore, 
