PERAK
1309
The seat of Government is at Taiping in the Larut district, three hours from Penang by railway. The Malay States Guides, a body of Indian troops maintained and equipped by the Rulers of the Federated Malay States, are quartered at Taiping. The residence of His Highness the Sultan is at Bukit Chandan in the town of Kuala Kangsar, reached by rail from Taiping in about an hour. The High Commissioner of the Federated Malay 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 six miles from the headquarter town of Tapah, for which the station, Tapalı 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. In 1914, the mean popula- tion was estimated at 530,914. 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 Tapah Road to Teluk Anson, thus connecting the coast with the interior. There are over 898 miles of excellent roads, and telegraph and telephone lines throughout the State.
The revenue for 1914 amounted to $19,338,374 against $23,070,058 in 1913, and the expenditure to $28,361,921 against $25,804,040 in 1913. At the end of 1914 the balance of assets at the credit of the State was $29,197,090. The total value of the trade for 1914 amounted to $87,940,901, a falling off of $17,748,861 when compared with 1913 (a record year), but the decrease is largely accounted for by the war and low prices for tin and rubber. Statistics were as follow:-
Imports Exports
1913 ..$ 34,286,777 71,402,985
1914
$ 28,940,809
59,000,092
The output of tin in 1914 amounted to 479,753 piculs and the value to $35,233,115 compared with 493,967 piculs and a value of $49,184,286 in 1913. The labour force was 96,740 as against 126,361 in 1913. Of gold the output was 935 ounces.
Agriculture had another successful year. Under coconuts there were over 90,000 acres. 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 300,114 acres alienated for rubber, 146,649 were reported to be opened, and 48,765 acres to be producing in 1913. The total export for the year was 11,040 tons as against 7,660 in
1913.