399 
If of course a cooly originally fit became unfit later on during his 
service, the Estate, was properly to be charged with the expenses of 
sending the man back to his country. 
Mr. C. L. Gibson supports Mr. Parkinson and deplores any furthei 
Government interference with their recruiting. He also thinks that 
medical examination at Negapatam will materially enhance the cost of 
recruiting. . . , ,,, , 
Mr. Jarvis feels sure that the majority of unfit coolies are not 
free estate coolies but Government-recruited men. The most unfit 
physically were the Malayalams, Moslems and others, with the immi- 
gration of which classes Government had experimented during the past 
year. . . 
Mr. J. Gibson then proposes that the repatriation expenses be 
borne by the Immigration Fund, but fails to find a seconder. 
Mr. Boyd all the same favours previous examination at the Coast. 
Mr. Harrison thinks that the whole question refers more to the 
past, when there was a constant shortage of labour, and that it is one 
not likely to be of any importance for the future, when labour is be- 
coming so plentiful that importers can begin to pick and choose. He 
would take this opportunity of urging planters to stop paying excessive 
commissions for recruiting. Nobody now-a-days need pay more than 
$ 10 . 
Mr. Darby states that his kanganies never get more than $1 for 
every cooly recruited, and he believes that the excessive commissions 
just referred to by Mr. Harrison are usually charges made by the 
professional recruiters, who are not generally resorted to by planters 
at all. 
Mr. Harrison then proposes that repatriation expenses be borne 
by the respective importers, 
Mr. Darby, in seconding this proportion, suggests that all members 
be also circularized and asked to discourage immigration of unfit coolies. 
The motion is then put to the meeting and passed. 
Compensation Under “Prevention of Diseases Enactment.” 
VII. The Secretary reads the following letter from the Agents, 
Bukit Panjong Estate ; — 
Klang , 6th June, 1908 . 
Dear Sir, 
We shall be obliged if you will lay the following facts before your 
Association and request them to represent to Government the neces- 
sity of altering the present legislation with regard to the destruction of 
property under the “Prevention of Diseases Enactment.” 
On 2nd March last a death occurred on Bukit Panjong Estate 
which was reported, by the, clerk on the Estate, to the dresser at Kuala 
Selangor as a case of cholera. It would appear that the dresser ac- 
cepted the clerk’s version of the cause of death, and the District 
Medical Officer was sent for. It was afternoon on the following day 
(3rd instant) when the Medical Officer left Klang : consequently he 
could not have reached the Estate until nearly 24 hours after the death 
had occurred. 
