mm 
66 
32, There is little information about the cultivation of ragi ( eleusina 
coracana) in these reports, see, however, the concluding paragraph of the 
report of Mr. Stephens 0 supra , p, 15). 
33. The conclusions which I submit for the consideration of His Ex- 
cellency the Governor are the following : — - 
(1) An experiment on a large scale under which a large area of 
paddy-land would be cleared, laid out and drained, and cultiva- 
tors placed upon it, upon terms which would enable them in a 
few years to acquire a proprietary right, subject to assess- 
ment, might be tried both in Perak and Selangor. The Re- 
sidents of those States might be asked to report what the 
preliminary cost would be, and to make recommendations as 
to locality and area, the number of years in which the cultiva- 
tors would be allowed to acquire a proprietary right on gra- 
dual repayment of the initial cost, and the terms as to assess- 
ment. 
(2) State immigration schemes are, I fear, illusory as far 
as paddy cultivation is concerned. But it might be possible 
to induce men of some wealth and position, natives of India, 
China, Siam, Java, Ceylon or the Malay Peninsula, to colo- 
nise districts assigned to them upon the promise of, after 
proved success, high rank in the State and a substantial 
reward. I do not see why the Government of a Native 
State requiring population should not issue a notification 
offering an honorific title and a large payment to any in- 
fluential native who will within a limited number of years 
colonise .a new district (to be selected) with so many hundred 
families of his countrymen over whom he would be placed 
as headman with Magisterial powers. The initial expense 
must be borne by himself, but on proved success, a named 
money reward should be paid to him, and he should have a 
hereditary right to a percentage on the revenue collected in 
the district. 
(3) The Resident Councillor, Penang, in his capacity of British 
Consul for the Siamese States on the West Coast of the 
Peninsula, should be called on for a report upon the working 
of a system £aid to be in force in Kedah under which a 
Penang Chinese, who holds a concession for the sole right 
of erecting and working rice-mills in the State, makes ad- 
vances to cultivators and receives the produce which is cleaned 
in Kedah and exported as rice. It is possible that some such 
system might with advantage be introduced in connection 
with the development scheme (1). 
(4) Exemption from land revenue for a term of years and bounties 
of all kinds to Malay settlers (who are migratory) should be 
prohibited. 
(5) Seed should be issued or loans granted subject to the con- 
ditions mentioned in para. 31. 
(6) The information contained in Colonel Low’s book might 
be usefully added to and brought up to date by the aid of 
full reports, by the Resident Councillors and Residents 
of Native States, on Malay agriculture. 
W. E. MAXWELL, 
Colonial Secretary. 
Singapore , 28th January , /8gj. 
