395 
tion to that interesting pursuit, and it is gratifying to observe the 
extent to which the exertions of indivduals are now carrying into 
practical effect. The applications which have been made for permits 
to clear land have been very numerous, and the general opinion seems 
to be in favour of clearing new and wastelands ratherthan of reclaim- 
ing the old estates from the jungle to which they had reverted 
through the neglect of former proprietors. The whole or the West- 
ern plains exhibit at this time an interesting spectacle of the industry 
of the Chinese and other inhabitants of those extensive prop rties 
and the same observation applies with equal force to the other parts 
of the island.” 
“In addition to the growth of pepper which had long been a 
staple ai tide of produce, we are happy to observe a prevailing inter- 
est on the cultivation of coffee which promises to be a source of great 
advantage to the planters generally who are prosecuting it with the 
utmost spirit and preseverance.” (Straits Settlements Records Vol 
182). 
Owing to the onerous conditions of land tenure imposed, plan- 
ting in the larger sense of the term languished until the Government 
altered its policy with the result that a good deal of ground was taken 
up. The pioneer British planter was Mr Brown who for so long 
was a considerable figure in Pinang life in the early half of the last 
century. Mr Brown’s example was followed by others and notably 
by a number of French planters who were attracted from Mauritius 
by the glowing accounts circulated in regard to the Province. For a 
time enterprise flourished but as a writer of the period remarked the 
Government stopped short in this wise improvement on the antiqua- 
ted systems. Instead of placing the whole cultivating population on 
a fair equal footing by permitting the holders of grants and leases to 
commute their rents and quit rents at fair rents, the commutations 
were fixed at unequal and in most cases excessive rates.” The conse- 
quence was that after the first burst of energy the industry relapsed 
into a condition of somnolence, the decay being hastened by the 
Free Trade era in the United Kingdom which dealt a deadly blow at 
the sugar growing industry in the British Colonies. 
ARNOLD WRIGHT. 
(The Singapore Free Press, November 25th , 1911). 
