SARAWAK STATE OF NORTH BORNEO
SARAWAK STEAMSHIP CO., LTD. (Incor- porated in Sarawak)-32 and 33, Khoo Hun Yeang Street, Kuching; Cable Ad: Steamship, Kuching; Codes: A.B.C. 5th edn., Scott's 10th edn. and Bentley's, Complete & 2nd Phrase
K. N. Black, managing director Straits S. S. Co., Ld., Singapore Agents
SIME, DARBY & Co., LTD. (Incorporated in S.S.), Plantation, Rubber and Tin Mine Agents and Valuers, General Import, Export and Produce Merchants, Ship- ping and Insurance Agents-Kuching; Also at Sibu
A. F. Baughan, manager
(For Fuller Details See Sime Darby &
Co., Ltd., Singapore and Malacca)
D87
TAN SUM GUAN & SON, Merchants, In- surance and Manufacturers' Agents and Dealers in Ice & Cold Storage-61 and 63, Ewe Hai St.; Teleph. 250; Cable Ad: Tansumguan; Codes: A.B.C. 5th edn.. Bentley's, Acme & Private
Tan Sum Guan, partner Tan Kui Choon, do. Wang Siew Liang, chief clerk Tan Geok Chui, asst, clerk Ong Chin Yeang, do.
Lim Phuan Kay, salesman M. Suhai, asst.
VAMCO
do.
TIMBER COMPANY
Lawas,
Sarawak, Borneo; Cable Ad: Vamco; Codes: Bentley's and Acme,
STATE OF NORTH BORNEO
This territory, formerly known as Sabah, situated at the northern end of the island of Borneo, has a coast line of about 800 miles. The population is made up of Malays, Bajaus, Dusuns, Sulus and Muruts, and at the census in 1931 numbered 270,223, which includes about 47,799 Chinese. The chief geographical feature in the territory is the mountain of Kinabalu, about 13,455 feet high. The principal river on the West coast is the Padas. Ont he East Coast there are the Kinabatangan, Labuk, Sugut, Segama, and many other valuable rivers. The best harbours are those of Jesselton on the West coast, Kudat on the North, Sandakan and Cowie Harbours on the East Coast, the two last-named being very spacious and possessing great potentialities.
The climate is particularly pleasant for the tropics; the days are rarely very hot, while a blanket is often required at night; and little inconvenience is experienced from insect pests, such as mosquitoes and the like. Hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disturbances are almost unknown. The seas are teeming with fish, and there is a large export trade in canned dried and salted fish. Trade with Singapore, Hong- kong and the Philippines is well established. A weekly steamship service is maintained between North Borneo ports and Singapore by the Straits Steamship Company, and steamers run regularly to Hongkong and the Philippines. A weekly service to the East Coast ports is maintained by the Sabah Steamship Company. There is a fortnightly service to Tawau from Netherlands Indies ports by the K.P.M. Line. The Osaka Shosen Kaishia run a monthly service between Java, Tawau and Japan. There are in all four lines of steamships maintaining communication with North Borneo. Most of the trade supplies are obtained from and through Singapore; and with Hongkong there is a brisk and increasing trade in timber. Amongst the zoological productions of North Borneo are to be noted elephants, rhinoceros, deer of three kinds, wild cattle, proboscis monkey, orang-utan, pig, bears, pythons and crocodiles. Of game birds there are a few wild duck, many varieties of wild pigeon dan doves, snipe, and quail.
Sandakan, the capital, has a magnificent harbour and is the chief place of trade. Jesselton, on the West coast, is developing, and several of the Government Departments are located there. It is also one of the termini of the State Railway. The imports include cloth, rice, hardware, manufactured goods of all kinds, Chinese of tobacco, Chinese coarse crockery, matches, machinery, biscuits, oil, sugar, etc. The chief exports are rubber, copra, timber, dried and salt fish, native tobacco, rattans, edible birds'-nests, seed pearls, beche de mer, sharks' fins, Borneo crystalline camphor of tortoise-shell, beeswax, and other natural products, which are brought in from the
interior, the neighbouring Sulu Archipelago, etc.