1454
NON-FEDERATED MALAY STATES -JOHORE
similar reformas in Government departments in the immediate future. Under the Treaty Agreement, the Federated Malay States undertook to lend a sum of £1,000,000 to the Railway Department of the Kingdom of Siam, and with this money a railway is being constructed through the Siamese Peninsular States to link up with the F.M.S. system on the Kelantan frontier. The F.M.S. Railway has been extended through Pahang and work has already made satisfactory progress in Kelantan. Great benefits are expected from this extension of the F.M.S. railway system through the Eastern States.
In 1910, the Sultan of Johore accepted the services of a British officer, who is known as the General Adviser, and he has been instrumental, with the help of other officers lent by the F.M.S. and Straits Civil Services, in effecting many important reforms in Johor, which promises to become one of the most prosperous States in the Peninsula.
With the construction of proper roads and the extension of the railways and telegraphs through these Native States, and the establishment of an adequate postal service, all the States have already made rapid progress.
JOHORE
This State occupies the southern portion of the Malayan Peninsula, and has an area of about 9,000 square miles. The State is ruled by a Sultan, who is independent, but under the protection of the British Government so far as external policy is concerned. The present Sultan, Ibrahim, was born in 1873, and succeeded his father, the late Sultan Abubakar, in 1895, being crowned on the 2nd of November of that year. Since 1919, the Sultan has had the services of an officer of the Straits or F.M.S. Civil Services as General Adviser, and other members of these services are seconded to control various departments, with the result that the government is now on a better footing and the finances materially improved. The country has made great progress in material pros- perity, and its orderly condition has attracted a good deal of European capital, invested in planting enterprises.
The revenue for 1912 amounted to $4,348,641 against $3,954,901 in 1911, and the expenditure to $3,231,406 in 1912 against $3,231,318 in 1911. Improved methods of collection and administration, and the expansion of agricultural industry, are the main factors in the increase of revenue. The expenditure for 1912 includes the repayment of $700,000 of the capital sum lent by the Federated Malay States on account of the Johore State Railway. The public debt in now $10, 168,578 representing capital outlay on the construction and equipment of the State Railway. The money was lent by the FM.S. The railway, which connects Singapore with the F.M.S. system, was completed in 1909, and its construction has already given a great impetus to the opening up of this fertile State. Along its 120 miles, it provides access to the extensive areas of valuable forest land not conveniently reached by the natural waterways. In 1910, some 295 square miles of land adjoining the railway was leased for cultivation. It is operated by the F.M.S. Railway Department, which now controls the whole of the railways in the Malay Peninsula. Negotiations are not completed for the lease of the Johore line to the F.M.S., but under a provisional arrangement the Johore Government agreed to receive a fixed annual payment, with effect from January 1, 1912.
Forty-five schools are maintained by the Government, and at two of these English is taught.
The Sultan maintains and commands a regiment of Malays, comprising 220 regulars and 300 volunteers, as well as a force of 65 Pathan artillerymen. The equipment, drill and discipline are excellent, and occasionally the force parades with the British garrison on field days at Singapore, A new barracks is under construction at Johore Bahru.
The capital is the town of Johore Bhâru, or new Johore, as distinguished from Johore Lâma, or old Johore, the former seat of the Sultans of Johore, which was situated a few miles up the wide estuary of the Johore river. The new town is a flourishing little place on the nearest point of the mainland to Singapore island, and lying about 14 miles to the north-east of Singapore city, in 1° 26′ N. It contains some 29,000 inhabitants, mostly Chinese. Amongst the Government buildings are the Istana, court and police stations, barracks, gäol, hospital, market, railway station
Page 1490Page 1491