MACASSAR
Macassar, the capital of the "Gouvernement" Celebes and Dependencies, is situated 119° 24' E. longitude and 58° S. latitude. The population numbered in the end of 1939 about 70,000 of whom 4900 were Europeans, 43,000 natives, 180 Japanese, 17,200 Chinese and 850 other nationalities. These figures do not include the floating population of native coolies working in the docks,
As the principal centre of trade in the north-eastern part of the Archipelago, the place has great importance as a transit port. There is an old wharf 510 metres long (the Wilhelminakade), with custom houses and godowns for general use and a new concrete quay about 1,400 metres in length (the Julianakade), where the steamship companies have their own waterfront, godowns and offices. The Southern end of the waterfront is connected by a highway, several kilometres long, with the business quarters and warehouses. A breakwater 2,700 metres long protects the harbour from rough seas. Macassar has been closed as a free port since August, 1906. The town is nicely built. A fine thoroughfare, lined with tamarind trees, traverses the principal part, where the Governor's office and other public buildings are situated, and leads on both sides to large grass covered squares-the Koningsplein and Kerkplein. A busi- ness centre consists of Passar Street, Tempel Street, Wilhelminakade and Julianakade. The pleasantest living quarters are General van Daalenweg, Prinsenlaan, Strandweg (along the sea coast) and Hospitaalweg, where houses with colonnades give the impres- sion of a town in southern Europe. The palace of the Governor of the Great East, is situated in Hospitallweg. Around the European settlement the natives have made their villages. The surrounding country is low and marshy, covered with rice-fields and kampongs. The mountains, with the Peak of Bonthain in the distance, afford a fine spectacle, especially in the evening, when they are not covered by the fogs that rise from the plains. Beautiful sunsets are to be seen every night from the Yacht and Rowing Club and the Harbourmaster's landing-stage.
Macassar can be reached in a few hours flying in a modern Douglas airliner from Batavia-Java by K. N. I. L. M. Tourist arriving Macassar should not omit to visit the Waterfalls of Bantimoeroeng, (42 kilometers from Macassar by car) where there is a new swimming pool under the falls, as well as a stalactite cave. There are several pleasant mountain resorts. The nearest is Malino, which is about 70 kilometers from Macassar and can be reached by car in about two hours.
Points of interests are the old forts "Rotterdam" and "Vredenburg", both erected in the times of the Netherland East Indian Company (17th Century), the Governor's Palace, Governor's office, the Townhall and the "Kerkplein" with a monument, and also a most up to date acquarium. The Societeit "De Harmonie" (Social Club) with its associated swimming pool "Ce Harmonie".
The Governor of the Great East, is stationed at Macassar and his jurisdiction covers the following territories. Celebes, Molukken, Halmaheira, Ceram, Dutch Nieuw Guinea, Lesser Sunda Islands, Timor, Borneo, Bali and Lombok.
The city of Macassar is administered by a Municipal Council with a Burgomaster as president. The Council has 17 members (10 of European origin, 5 Natives of Macas- sar, and 2 Chinese). Technical affairs, grounds and the public sanitary service are managed, under the supervision of the Municipal Council, by a Director of Municipal Public Works (Directeur Gemeente Werken). The gas plant is the property of the Nederlandsch Indische Gas Maatschappij, which also controls the electric plant.
The harbour (Government property) has been constructed at a cost of about twelve million guilders (£1,300,000) and is administered by a Harbour Board (Commissie van Bijstand) with the Engineer Harbour-Director (Directeur der Haven) as President, under the supervision of the Department of Public Works at Batavia. Marine and shipping affairs are managed in collaboration with the harbourmaster and pilots are compulsory.