menfc, who decided to bring in this bill, to be tried as a temporary 
measure for one year, on the full terms, to see if it was workable, and 
your Committee are of opinion that further steps should be taken to 
have the tax made more equitable before the end of the year. 
Sluice Gates. This matter has been taken up by the Government 
and gates are being erected at the outlets in the district, the properties 
interested paying a 6 per cent assessment on the cost of the gates. 
However the gates which have already been erected are not working 
satisfactorily and this matter is under the consideration of your 
Committee. 
Labour. 1. Labour has been sufficient during the past year and 
there seems to have been no difficulty in recruiting new coolies. The 
total force in the district now is about 6,000 coolies against 4,729 at 
this time last year. The Estates in this district have suffered great loss 
through crimping, or, rather by their coolies being induced to give notice 
to leave to go elsewhere for higher wages. If this sort of thing could 
be stopped the labour force would not be so unsettled, and the necessity 
for heavy yearly recruiting would almost be done away with, 
2. Sunday Names. It was unanimously (passed at a meeting of 
the Planters’ Association of Malaya held at Kuala Lumpor on January 
19th, 1908, that Sunday Names should be abolished as from the 12th 
February 1908, the date of the commencement of giving free passages 
under the Tamil Immigration Fund Bill, on all coolies coming into the 
country, and no Sunday Names to be given to any cooly after the first 
July 1908. Your committee further recommends that a maximum 
rate of wages be paid in this district and that, as far as possible, 
coolies should be paid according to the work they are able to do, as 
per the circular issued or 1st March, 1908, and printed herein. It is 
hoped that the members of your Association will combine in this 
matter, and so help to reduce the cost of labour which has, owing to 
competition, increased very much during the last year or two. 
Circular op Labour. 
Dear Sir, 
I am instructed by my Committee to advise you that the 
different points of the above subject were discussed at the last meeting 
of the committee held on January 30, 1908, particulars of which are 
given below, to enable you to consider them before they are discussed 
at the next general meeting of your Association. 
1. Sunday Names. Referring to the resolution passed at the 
last General Meeting of your Association, it was unanimously decided 
at the meeting of the Planters’ Association of Malaya, held at Kuala 
Lumpor on January 19th last, that no Sunday Names be given to any 
coolies arriving in the country after the 12th of February, 1908, because 
their passages would be paid for after that date under the Tamil Immi- 
gration Fund Bill, and that Sunday names to all coolies employed 
previous to that date would cease to be given after July 1st, 1908. 
2. Hours of Labour. This matter was also brought up at the 
meeting of the Planters’ Association of Malaya as above. It any 
action is taken in this matter your Committee suggests that in this 
district the future working hours of coolies should be from 6 a.m. to 
4 p.m., with one hour off in the middle of the day from 11.30 to 12.30 
