152 
It was necessary to think now of an alternative, if Tamil labour 
proved inadequate. The Chinese were not ideal coolies, but neither 
was the Tamil. The latter was of poor physique, and lived under 
unhealthy conditions. He could not be induced to stay in the 
country, the average stay being about two years. If the average 
were three years, there would be a fifty per cent increase in the 
estate population. 
According to the figures of the latest official reports, there were 
78,000 coolies employed on estates in the Colony, F. M. S. and Johore 
at the end of 1908. Allowing for sugar, tapioca, coconuts, etc., the 
coolies employed in rubber cultivation cannot be put much above or 
below 70,000. At that date a very small percentage of the 241,000 
acres then under rubber was being tapped, and the resulting propor- 
tion is only one coolie to three and a half acres. The area now 
under cultivation may be estimated at 300,000 acres of rubber, all of 
which in five years’ time may be tappable, and if tapped will 
require, for tapping and general estate purposes, not less than one 
coolie to two acres. But in five years time, even if extension goes on 
at a considerably slower rate than during the last three years, the 
total area under rubber will still have been doubled. If these extra 
241.000 acres of new clearings can be worked with one coolie to three 
and a half acres, if the old cultivations do not in the aggregate 
expand by a single acre, and if the development of the new northern 
states makes no drain whatever upon our existing resources, our 
agricultural population, to be adequate for the needs of 1916 will 
have to amount to 228,000. This is more likely to prove an under- 
estimate than an over-estimate. 
It is claimed for the present immigration policy that it has put 
I ami recruiting on a satisfactory footing, but the present rate of 
L anul immigration will have to be doubled if these requirements, 
very moderately estimated, are to be made good from the source. In 
what other direction are we to look for a new supply at least as 
productive as our existing one? I can see no other source but 
China We know we can get them. If there is no organisation, it 
would be very unsatisfactory. We should be crimping the towkays’ 
coolies It would be an expensive matter, more expensive than if 
we make arrangements before the demand arises. We should 
urthcrbe independent of the Immigration committee, and pay our 
own men and our own expenses. 
Mr ‘ B * Pnor ’ in seconding the resolution, said that labour was 
the one and only question. When in Sumatra recently, he learned 
tv! * h !, mana S er of a European Estate had been informed that the 
L»utch Government was going to stop the exportation of coolies, 
l here had been applications for 5,000 in one month for the F. M. S. 
t was pretty certain that in the near future Java would be a blank 
held. He heard that even the interior of Sumatra was to be opened 
up. it they did not do something soon, they would be left behind. 
