1264
PERAK
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1. Kuala Lumpur, the central district, where the Residency and principal Government Offices are situated, and which also contains the richest tin mines that have yet been developed. 2.—Klang, in which Port Swettenham, the principal port, is situated at the mouth of the Klang River. 3.-Kuala Langat, an agricultural district, in which the Sultan resides. 4.-Kuala Selangor, containing the most important fisheries in the State. 5.-Ulu Langat, an inland mining district on the borders of Negri Sembilan. 6.—Ulu Selangor, a district adjoining Perak, containing much valuable mining land, as yet comparatively undeveloped.
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Each district is under the charge of a European District Officer. from whom the Native Penghulus (in charge of the mukims into which each district is sub-divided) receive instructions. The Police Force consists of one Deputy Commissioner, two Assistant Commissioners (one Probationer), three Chief Inspectors, 13 inspectors, 3 Sergeant-majors, and 876 native non-commissioned officers and nien.
The population of Selangor in 1884, when the first census was taken, was 46,568 ; but at the last census, in 1911, the returns gave a total of 294,035, of whom 150,908 were Chinese, 64,952 Malays, 74,067 natives of India, 1,348 Europeans, 1,739 aborigines. The estimated population in 1919 was 391,103.
The principal industries of the State, and from which it derives the largest portion of its revenue, are alluvial tin mining and rubber cultivation.
In addition to its rich mineral resources, the State possesses large tracts of land well adapted for agricultural purposes, and the renioval of restrictions or the free importation of Indian labourers into the Protected Native States rendered it possible for European planters to obtain cheap labour and to open estates on a large scale. Small plantations of coffee, cocoanuts and pepper have been successfully con- ducted, and rice, and other products of the Peninsula under native cultivation are doing well in various parts of the State, and to encourage pioneer planters, large grants of land have in recent years been made, on special terms, for the planting of sago, pepper, and gambier. But the principal agricultural product here, as in the other Malay States, is rubber. There were 611,813 acres alienated for agricultural purposes at the end of the year, comprising 592,860 acres under rubber, cocoanuts 45,493 acres, coffee 8,736, and rice 11,016. There were 31,416 tons of rubber exported in 1918; the export in 1919 was 39,570 tons, valued at $70,290,265.
The principal exports are tin, rubber, hides, tapioca, canes, rattans, coffee, copra, spices and guttapercha. The principal imports are machinery, cotton piece goods, rice, oil, tobacco and tea. The only import duties are on opium, spirituous liquors, matches, petroleum, motor spirit, motor vehicles, bicycles, etc., and tobacco and cigars, while export duties are payable only on minerals, agricultural products, ivory, fish, horns and hides, a few kinds of jungle produce and guttapercha. The export duty on tin has in recent years amounted to about three million dollars a year, the duty on the gross value of the tin being, roughly, 13 per cent. There were 64,381 acres alienated for mining at the end of 1919, mostly for tin. Tin and tin ore exported amounted to 190,160 piculs against 180,505 in 1918. The value was $22,962,167 as compared with $27,186,533 in 1918. Of wolfram 3,367 piculs and of scheelite 3,831 piculs were exported. The Malayan Collier es, Ltd., is now at work at Rantau Panjang, and turned out 191,293 tons of coal against 168,740 tons in 1918. The quality of the coal is reported to be satis- factory. A branch railway has been constructed to the mi1 e.
There is frequent and regular communication, by means of coasting steamers, between the Straits Settlements and Selangor. From Kuala Lumpur a system of cart and bridle roads extends to the boundaries of Perak, Negri Sembilan and Pahang. Branch lines of railway now extend in all directions, and the main trunk line passes through Selangor. Port Swettenham is the terminus of the railway on Klang Straits, and wharves have been constructed there, capable of accommodating ocean-going steamers. The number of merchant vessels, other than native craft, enter- ing the port in 1919 was 1,122 (of which 1,090 were British) against 955 in 1918. There entered 197 ocean-going steamers against 130 in 1918.
Telegraph lines connect Selangor with the other States in the Malay Peninsula; telephones are established throughout the State, and postal and telegraph offices are to be found in all the towns and principal villages.
The State revenue in 1919 amounted to $25,922,875 against $24,455,790 in 1918, and the expenditure to $26,464,005 against $16,167,911 in 1918. The balance of assets over liabilities was $46,787,572. Trade statistics were as follow:-
Imports...... Exports.
1918 $36,849,355 79,718,369
1919 $56,289,298 100,818,202