479 
Labour Committee has placed it on record that the policy 
of his Committee is to increase this allowance, as the funds 
permit, to such an amount as will enable the importer to 
bring over labour free of all cost beyond the assessment. 
Gentlemen, this is the position, and I believe if we work 
together and are enabled to give fair advances in India we 
shall be able to compete with any country in the world with 
regard to cheapness of work. 
You must, not be too hard on the Labour Committee. 
They 1 1 aye a big contract and are doing, as we are all doing 
to-day. feeling their way slowly and of course making some 
mistakes. 
Before finishing I wish to say that what I have said 
does not emanate entirely from myself, but is the result of 
arguments, conversations, etc., in rambles round the coun- 
try for six months, and I have only endeavoured to express 
the general planting opinion. With regard to the Perak 
Planters’ Association, I think we shall all/ agree that the 
action of the P. P. A. is a wise one, and the suggestion of 
District Associations at Ipoh, Krian, Taiping, and Teluk 
Anson is also a wise one. 
Gentlemen, we of the F. M. S. thank the Penang com- 
munity for their hospitality, and the Show Committee for 
the very excellent Show. (Applause.) 
II. The Minutes of the previous meeting are taken as 
read and confirmed. 
III. Indian Immigration Committee. The Secretary 
reads the following letter: 
33 rd July , 1909. 
The Federal Secretary, F. M. S. 
Kuala Lumpur. 
Sir, — With further reference to your letter No. 1397 
of the -5th March, and my reply thereto of the 6th May, I 
have the honour to point out that this Association agrees 
with the Resident-General in his belief that the Indian Im- 
migration Committee would never intentionally frame any 
rule opposed to the interests of the Planting Community. 
With regard to the qualifications of the Planting Mem- 
bers, my Association agrees that these Members are 
amongst the leading and most experienced Planters in the 
Peninsula. 
Differences of opinion were due to the fact that the 
Planting Members, of the Indian Immigration Committee 
