68 
If the Chinese traders of the Straits Settlements de- 
serve to have a representative on the Legislative Council of 
the Colony, it seems surely more than anomalous, that the 
British Planters of the hinterland should be without any 
official voice in legislation, that vitally concerns them and 
the large Industry they represent. 
The agricultural interests of the Colony have for some 
time had the great advantage of being represented by the 
Hon. John Turner, but nobody recognizes more readily than 
this gentleman himself the inadequacy of one member hav- 
ing to represent so widely divergent interests as the plant- 
ing Industry of the whole Peninsula involves. Of the 365 
Estates in the Peninsula, with an acreage of 188,000 acres 
of rubber planted up, only 60 odd with an acreage of 40,000 
acres are situated in the Colony. But apart even from 
merely quantitative consideration, it is well known that 
conditions and methods in the North are quite different 
from those prevailing in the South, a- difference that is 
strikingly illustrated by the respective employment of in- 
dentured and kanganv recruited laborers. 
Under these conditions it would seem a great econom- 
ical and political loss to the country at large that objec- 
tions should exist against the creation of a Federal Council, 
even if such council were purely deliberative and merely an 
Advisory Board, assisting the Resident General of the F. 
M. S. in initiating legislation. 
If however such objections are really quite unsurmount- 
able, I would respectfully submit that the vastly increased 
interests of the Industry, which this Association represents, 
demand some other means of providing more adequate rep- 
resentation, and would in that case pray, 
“That it may please Your Excellency to appoint an 
“additional planting representative on the Legislative 
Council of the Colony.” 
I have the honour to be, 
Your Excellency’s 
Humble* and Obedient Servant, 
(Sd.) R. W. Haeeisox, 
Chairman , Planters’ Association of Malaya. 
Kuala Lumpur, F. M. S. 
3rd November. 1908. 
No. 5456/1908. 
Sie, — W ith reference to your letter of the 21st October, 
1908, addressed to his Excellency the High Commissioner 
