Directory_and_Chronicle_1888 — Page 730

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SELANGOR.

in the Courts are practically the same as those in the Colony of the Straits Settle- ments, and the powers of a Collector and Magistrate are almost identical with those of a Magistrate and Commissioner of the Court of Requests in the Colony. The decisions of the Magistrates are subject to revision by the Resident, and again by the Sultan in Council. The Police Force consists of a superintendent, two European inspectors, and 305 native non-commissioned officers and men, chiefly Malay.

According to a census taken during the year 1884 the total population of the State amounted to 46,568 persons, and in 1887 was estimated at 72,000, of whom 50,000 are Chinese, 20,000 Malays, and about 2,000 Tamils. The European popula- tion is a little over 100.

The principal industry of the State, and from which it derives the largest portion of its revenue, is alluvial tin mining, on which a duty is charged of $3 per picul. The export in 1885 amounted to 82,901 piculs.

In addition to its mineral resources, the State, however, possesses large tracts of land well adapted for agricultural purposes, and the recent removal of restrictions on the free importation of Indian coolies into the Protected Native States renders it possible for European planters to obtain cheap labour and to open estates on a large scale. Small plantations of Coffee, Cacao, and Pepper have already been successfully commenced, and Rice, Sugar, 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 recently been made, on special terms, for the planting of Sago, Pepper, and Gambier.

The following table shows the total annual revenue and expenditure of the State since the year 1878:-

1878. 1879. 1880. 1881. 1882.

$

$

1883. 1884. 1885. 1886.

$

1887.

Estimated.

$

$ $

$ Revenue 189,897| 184,387| 215,614 235,227|300,423| 450,664 494,483| 566,411 689,401| 918,272

Expenditure... 187,621|185,725| 202,806, 234,383 259,081 448,703 514,948 826,526 683,876 900,581

The principal exports are Tin, Hides, Garmwood, Tapioca, Canes, Rattans, and Gutta Percha. The principal imports are Opium, Salt, Salt-fish, Rice, Oil, Tobacco, and Tea, and from the commencement of the year 1885, all duties have been abolished, with the exception of those on Tin and Opium. The value of the trade of the state in 1886 was $7,920,498 as against $4,820,345 in 1885.

There is frequent and regular communication, by means of coasting steamers, between the Straits Settlements and Selangor, and from Kwala Lumpor a system of cart and bridle roads extends to the boundaries of Perak, Sungie Ujong, and Pahang.

A line of metre gauge railway, to connect Kwala Lumpor and Klang (a distance of 22 miles), has been constructed, and was formally opened by Sir F. Weld on the 15th Sept., 1886. In connection with the Railway a line of Telegraph has been erected between the same terminal stations and extended to Malacca viá Sungie Ujong.

GOVERNMENT.

DIRECTORY.

Sultan-His Highness Abdul Samat bin Ahmerhum, Rajah Abdulla, K.C.M.G. H.B.M. Resident F. A. Swettenham,

C.M.G.

Member-The Chief Magistrate Kwala

Lumpor

Rajah Sleman (Raja Muda)

-Raja Kahar, Kajang

Tunkur Panghima Raja, Kan-

chong

do.

do.

do.

do.

MEMBERS OF STATE COUNCIL.

do.

President-H.H. The Sultan

do.

-Raja Laut, Kwala Lumpor

Member-The Resident of Selangor

do.

-Yap Ah Shak, (Capitan China)

Kwala Lumpor

Raja Hassan, Klang

Syed Zin, Klang