410 
Xa) A Committee of 5 Members, ix., Messrs. E. Pears (Chair- 
man), Buyers, Bryce, Burgess and Malet, was appoint- 
ed to deal with the question of Tamil Labour and the 
result of their deliberations was placed before you in the 
Report written by the Chairman on the 27th July, 1907. 
(b) Permission was obtained from the M. P. P. A. to use their 
machinery for the purpose of recruiting Coolies in India 
till the Immigration Ordinance should come into force. 
(c) The Johore Government was asked to give a subsidy in aid 
of the Tamil Immigration Scheme so as to enable the 
Immigration Committee to lower the Assessment from 
$10.00 to the rate current in the F. M. S., viz., $5.00 
per head. 
This the Government kindly consented to do and 
offered $5,000,00 annually for this purpose, but the 
contribution was not accepted by the Immigration Com- 
mittee on the ground that the amount offered was not 
sufficiently large. 
(d) The Johore Government was asked to endeavour to obtain 
a reduction of the rate of assessment but replied saying 
that they did not think it would be of any use to try 
and make any further alterations in the Scheme at the 
present time. 
(e) The Johore Government was written to and invited to enter 
into negotiations with the Government of the Nether- 
lands India in order to facilitate the importation of In- 
dentured Javanese Labour into the State. 
This request was not consented to by the Government 
but it was generally understood that the refusal arose 
out of no unwillingness to help the Planters but that at 
the time it was not desirable to anticipate any action in 
this direction that might be taken later on by the Straits 
Settlements and Federated Malay States’ Governments 
on the lines of the Tamil Immigration Ordinance. 
(/) The Government was asked to expedite the opening of the 
new railway line between Gemas and Bantau Panjang 
and promised that when arrangements had been conclud- 
ed with the constructing engineers and the authorities of 
the Federated Malay States this would be done. We 
understand this portion of the line has now been opened 
as requested. 
(g) A letter was written to Government asking that free license 
be granted to Planters permitting them to shoot, trap, 
or otherwise destroy all animals, birds, &c„ that are 
destructive to crops. 
In reply the State Secretary stated that this request 
had been duly submitted to His Highness the Sultan who 
had replied that he had already spoken to the Secretary 
on the matter and that such course as was then suggested 
by His Highness might be adopted. 
