CO882-(3-4) — Page 454

Sir,

*

The Colonial Secretary to Her Britannic Majesty's Residents.

Colonial Secretary's Office, Singapore, 17th May 1878.

His Excellency the Governor desires me to inform you that his attention has been called to recent cases in which the proper functions and authority of Residents and their Assistants in the protected Native States have been exceeded. His Excellency, therefore, desires me to call your particular attention to this Office letter, No. 5115/76, of the 19th August 1876, stating in general terms the duties of Residents in the Native States, and covering the Secretary of State's Despatch of the 1st June 1876, laying down the future policy of Her Majesty's Government with regard to these States.

His Excellency desires that you should be reminded that the Residents have been placed in the Native States as advisers, not as rulers, and if they take upon themselves tó disregard this principle they will most assuredly be held responsible if trouble springs out of their neglect of it.

1 am to request that you will without delay inform those of your Assistants who may be affected by them of his Excellency's views in this matter.

Her Britannic Majesty's Resident,

Perak, Salangore, Sungei Ujong.

I have, &c., (Signed) J. DOUGLAS,

Colonial Secretary.

Sir,

Colonial Secretary's Office, Singapore, 19th August 1876.

I am directed by the Governor to transmit to you, for your information and guidance, copy of a Despatch which has been received from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, indicating the policy which Her Majesty's Government desire to pursue with regard to the Native States in the Malayan Peninsula.

You will observe that in continuing the residential system, Her Majesty's Government define the functions of the Resident to be the giving influential and responsible advice to the ruler, a position the duties of which are well understood in the East.

The Residents are not to interfere more frequently or to greater extent than is necessary with the minor details of Government; but their special objects should be, the main- tenance of peace and law, the initiation of a sound system of taxation, with the con- sequent development of the resources of the country, and the supervision of the collection of the revenue, so as to ensure the receipt of funds necessary to carry out the principal engagements of the Government, and to pay for the cost of the British officers, and what- ever establishments may be necessary to support them.

(Continued in letter to Resident, Perak.)

7

I transmit herewith two copies of the Despatch for communication to the Assistant Residents at Larut and Baudar Bahru, and am to request that you will enjoin upon them a strict conformity with the spirit of the foregoing instructions.

Her Britannic Majesty's Residents,

Perak and Salangore.

I have, &c., (Signed) JOHN DOUGLAS,

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