525 
Last year, with a view to removing a possible cause of friction 
amongst ourselves, we passed a resolution that no member of our 
Association may employ any Tamil cooly who has previously been 
employed by any other member, without the latter’s consent. 
I think, gentlemen, that we may congratulate ourselves on the 
successful working of this rule. I believe there has not been a single 
serious dispute during the current year and the most cordial relations 
exist between the managers of every estate in our district. 
In matters relating to the constitution of the P.A.M., we 
favoured the changes which recommended themselves to that body 
and heartily supported the abolition of that tiresome and curious 
anomaly known as “Sunday Names.” We discussed several other 
matters some of which are still under consideration. 
Three estate hospitals have been built. The largest, known as 
the Kuala Langat Estates’ Hospital, is subscribed to by all the 
estates belonging to this Association, with two exceptions. These 
hospitals provide accommodation for 3% of our total labour force and 
prove, as anticipated, to be far in excess of the requirements of our 
sick. It is interesting to note that the Resident-General ascribes the 
improvement in health of our labour, in part, to the opening of the 
estate hospitals. So far as estates in this neighbourhood are 
concerned, our rate of sickness averaged about %% before our 
hospitals, were built and there is no material improvement to be 
noted since they were opened. 
The area under rubber and coconuts under European manage- 
ment in this district now exceeds 12,000 acres. 
An interesting lecture on “The Build of the Para Tree,” by 
Mr. Gallagher, on March nth, 1909, and another by Mr. Pratt on 
“Termes Gestroi,” on June 20th, were well attended and greatly 
appreciated. 
I think we might take this occasion to offer our congratulations 
to the authorities on their choice of a successor to Mr. Carruthers. 
In appointing Mr. Gallagher Director of Agriculture, the Govern- 
ment has most happily shown its recognition, not only of the im- 
portance of the science of mycology to agriculture, but of the merits 
of an able and zealous officer. 
The application of scientific knowledge to our industry is a 
question of steadily growing importance. On this subject the 
somewhat surprising remarks of H. E. the Governor, at Penang, last 
month, were ably replied to by the Chairman of the P.A.M. in so far 
as the duty of the individual to the State is concerned. But as an old 
colonist, I could not help comparing Sir John Anderson’s view of 
the duty of the State to the individual as I listened to his speech, with 
those generally held by the rulers of our great self-governing colonies. 
Let me give you an example. As soon as it had been demons- 
trated to be possible for white men to make a living out of agriculture 
on the Darling Downs, a well -organized Agricultural Department 
