PERAK
1403
States has also a residence at Kuala Kangsar, which town, situated as it is on the Perak river, here some 200 yards wide, lies in the midst of beautiful scenery and is the centre of the Malay life of Perak, and it is here that meetings of the Federal Council are held. The British Resident has residences at Taiping and Ipoh.
The most important district in Perak is Kinta, of which the principal town is Ipoh, reached by rail from Penang in five and a half hours. The tin deposits in the Kinta valley and neighbourhood are of great value, and recent developments in rubber plant- ing have brought a new agricultural industry into the district. Mining is here con- ducted on the most scientific principles, and many mines are equipped with the latest machinery.
Other districts in Perak are Krian on the Province Wellesley (Penang)border. Here the Government has completed an extensive and costly irrigation scheme and large areas are under rice, sugar and rubber. A somewhat similar district is Lower Perak, in which is situated Teluk Anson, the principal port of the State. This port is connected by a branch railway with the main line of the Federated Malay States Railway and there is frequent communication by steamers between Penang and Singapore.
The Larut district was formerly famous for its tin deposits, and faction fights for the possession of the tin mines before 1874 were the immediate cause of the British intervention in and eventual protection of Perak. The Larut mines have of late years, however, somewhat sunk in importance.
Matang, a sub-district of Larut, contains several large rubber estates and a con- siderable fishing industry exists on its coast.
The large districts of Batang Padang and Upper Perak are as yet less developed than the rest of the State. The railway runs through the Batang Padang district siy miles from the headquarter town of Tapah, for which the station, Tapah Road, is some seven hours from Penang. A metalled cart road is now being completed to Grit, the headquarters of the Upper Perak district.
The population of Perak in 1911 was 494,057 as compared with 329,665 in 1901. It included in 1911 217,206 Chinese, 199,034 Malays and other natives of the Archipelago, 73,539 natives of India, 1,396 Europeans and 845 Eurasians. The Chinese form the labour force of the tin mines and the Tamil natives of India the labour force of the plantations, but it is noticeable that large numbers of Tamils are now employed in the mines. The Malays engage in native cultivation and various other pursuits.
The Federated Malay States Railway runs through the whole length of Perak from Parit Buntar on the Penang (Province Wellesley) border to Tanjong Malim on the Selangor border. Branch railways run from Taiping to Port Weld and from Tapalı Road to Teluk Anson, thus connecting the coast with the interior. There are over 745 miles of excellent roads, and telegraph and telephone lines throughout the State.
The revenue for 1912 amounted to $23,232,724 as against $19,081,190 in 1911, and the expenditure to $16,372,251 against $13,071,195 in 1911. At the end of 1912 the balance of assets at the credit of the State was $10,054,618. A record was created in 1912 in the value of both imports and exports. Statistics were as follow
Imports,.... Exports,..
1911 .8 29,349,213 55,535,550
1912
$ 30,586,759 71,715,191
The high price ruling for tin throughout 1912 resulted in an increase in the output of tin and tin ore. This amounted to 477,241 piculs and the duty to $6,463,113 as compared with 437,339 piculs and $1,356,964 respectively in 1911. The value of the tin was $49,352,508 compared with $11,105,822 in 1911. The labour force was 118,409 as against 107,864 in 1911. Of Gold the output was 1,195 ounces, which sold for $58,359. It was obtained chiefly from the tin-ore at Batang Padang.
Agriculture had another successful year. The fruit crop was the best on record, but the yield of padi-2,170,000 bushels-was a poor crop. Under coconuts there were 81,320 acres as against 73,120 in 1911. Practically the whole delta between the Bernam and Perak rivers has been alienated for cultivation, and in a few years this vast plain, which was dense jungle a few years ago, will present an unbroken field of coconut palms. Of the 290,294 acres alienated for rubber, 140,287 were reported to be opened, and 42.818 acres to be producing. The total crop for the year was 9,221,893 lbs. as against 6,042,762 in 1911.