The Secretary having reported a very serious shortage in the funds 
at his disposal, Mr. C. L. Gibson remarks that the Perak P. A, are 
moving in the matter and hope soon to have their collections together. 
It having been pointed out that the Ceylon Government are 
spending £1,200 on this Exhibition, the meeting resolves to submit to 
the Governments of the S. S. and F. M. S. that their contribution do 
equal this sum, and that Government lend, for decorative purposes, 
museum and other specimens characteristic of the Malay Peninsula, 
such as native manufactures, trophies, etc. 
Benevolent Fond. 
III. Mr. J. Gibson submits the report of the Select Committee 
on the Constitution of the Benevolent Fund and the proposed Hides 
drawn up by them. {Vide Appendix). 
Resolved that these Rules be printed and circulated, and be 
brought up at the next Meeting of the Association. 
The Liquok Question. 
IV. Mr. Valpy, in introducing a motion to prohibit the consump- 
tion of liquor other than unadulterated toddy and beer to Tamils, 
enumerates the objections that might be made against such a measure. 
It was race legislation, certainly, but such existed already, as for in- 
stance the Gaming Enactment, which specified Chinese as a race as the 
only persons permitted to gamble at the Farmers’ establishments. As 
for improving the quality of the gin and “ port wine ” sold at present, 
there was the difficulty of analysis, and consequently of detecting and 
punishing evasion of the law. A further objection had been made b\ 
pointing out that the D. 0. had already discretionary power to create 
new and cancel old licenses ; but to deal with this question by admi- 
nistrative rather than legislative measures seemed too vague to be 
really and universally effective. As for limiting the liberty of the sub- 
ject, they should remember that the taste was an acquired one, and 
that before their arrival in this country none of their Tamil coolies had 
ever know n gin. There w T ould of course be a certain loss of revenue, 
but the improvement in the health of the coolies would be most marked, 
and police and legal charges considerably reduced, as 99 out of 100 
quarrels of their coolies- be they of a criminal or merely civil nature 
originated at the gin-shop. Both the State Engineer and the State 
Surgeon of Selangor had written to him heartily approving of the 
proposed measure, and he had no doubt that it would also receive the 
unqualified support of the Government of Madras. Tinkering with 
the question by merely restrictive measures, as to area, quality and 
such like, was of no use, and he urged the meeting to pass the resolu- 
tion as it stood. , 
Mr. Parkinson seconds the motion and suggests that the words he 
added “ and that no liquor be sold to Tamils on credit.” 
Mr Browell supports the motion and the amendment, and informs 
the meeting that in his district Chinese liquor shops always insist on 
cash but that Tamil licensees usually give credit, sometimes lor more 
than a year. He knew that this credit system was the cause of many 
coolies bolting. 
