JOHORE-KELANTAN
STEPHENS, V. I., Civil Engineer, Architect | TOWN BOARD OFFICE
and Surveyor-39, Jalan Thaiyokini; Johore Bharu
V. I. Stephens, M.S.E., M.R.SAN.I., civil
engineer
P. J. Stephens, manager
1275
Acting President-J. Griffiths Deputy President-Ungku Ali bin
Abdullah
Secretary and Treasurer--Othman bin
Abdullah
KELANTAN
This State is situated in the extreme north-eastern end of the Peninsula, between latitudes 4'45° and 6'25° North and between longitudes 101′30° and 102′40° East, with a coast-line of 60 miles on the China Sea. It embraces an area of from 5,000 to 5,500 square miles. It is a mountainous country, with rich alluvial plains, and is drained by the Kelantan River and its tributaries.
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Kota Bharu six miles up the Kelantan River, is the capital, and the chief port is Tumpat at the mouth. The Sultan and the British Adviser reside at Kota Bahru.
Chiefly agricultural, Kelantan is believed to be rich in minerals, and much prospect- ing may be expected to be done in the next few years. The chief exports are padi and rice, copra and rubber, cattle and dried fish. The climate is healthier than other parts of the Peninsula, there being a distinct cold season about January. The temperature seldom exceeds 90° and sometimes falls to 62°, while the average rainfall is about 120 inches a year.
Mr. J. Scott Mason, the British Adviser, took over the supervision of affairs from Mr. W. A. Graham, the Siamese Commissioner, on July 15, 1909; and the most important happening since then was the determination in 1912 of the agreement between the Sul- tan and the Duff Development Company, and the resumption by the Government of the powers conceded to the company over nearly two-thirds of the State.
A new working agreement was entered into under which the Government of Kelantan undertook to pay to the company a sum of £300,000 sterling and to grant to them the following rights: (a) The sole right to select blocks of land for agricultural purposes, amounting in the aggregate to not more than 50,000 acres; (5) the sole prospecting rights for minerals over the area of the concession; and (c) the sole prospecting right over an area of approximately 78 square miles in the Sokor District, and the right to take up mining leases and certain other rights.
Over thirty miles of the railway which is to connect the F.M.S. and Siamese systems is completed in Kelantan, southwards from Tumpat, and work on the extension southwards to the Siam border is in progress, opening up the State for planting and mining.
According to the census of 1911 the population is 286,751. There was a police force of 366 men in 1916.
In 1909, the revenue amounted to $370,959 and the expenditure to $377,062. In 1916, the revenue had risen to $822,860 and the expenditure to $808,164. The public debt at the transference of the suzerainty was $150,000, upon which Siam charged 6 per cent. This debt was taken over by the F.M.S., interest being reduced to 4 per cent. The debit balance of the State at the end of 1916 was $3,432,078. The value of the imports in 1916 was $1,866,451 against $1,587,871 in 1915, and of exports $3,322,524 against $1,907,678 in 1915. The principal imports were:-cottonpiece goods, sarongs, cycles and accessories, coal, woodenware, matches, kerosene, opium, tobacco, salt and woollen goods. The tonnage of steamers using Kelantan ports amounted to 84,794 in 1916 against 70,208 in 1915. There is regular steamship communication with Bangkok and Singapore. The first all-weather road was completed in 1916, it runs 26 miles from the capital to Pasir Puteh. The Trunk Road from Kota Bharu to Kuala Krai lacks a few bridges to make it usable in dry weather. There is now weekly connection by rail and steamer between Tumpat and Kuala Lebir, 60 miles up river. Kota Bharu is in direct telegraphic communication with Bangkok aud Penang and possesses a telephone service. A telegraph line connecting Kota Bharu with Kuala Krai has been completed. It is also connected by telephone with Tumpat, the port of Kelantan, Chehil and Bangnara.