PERAK
429
Straits Government. In the interior of Perak, except in mining districts, the population is almost entirely Malay, the exceptions being a few Chinese shopkeepers and the Government establishments, police, &c., but tribes of Sakeis and Semangs, the supposed aborigines of the country, inhabit the distant hills. At Larut, and at the chief mining settlements in the interior, Kinta, Batang, Padang, &c., the Chinese form a large part of the population, and according to the census of 1891 numbered 94,000, the Malays numbering 96,000, Europeans 366, Eurasians 289, Tamils 13,000, and Aborigines 5,700. The total population of the state was 214,254. The country is rapidly increasing in importance. On the 1st June, 1885, a railway, 8 miles in length, connecting Thaipeng with Port Weld, was formally opened to traffic. This line has since been extended to the mining town of Kaumunting, and a further extension to Blanda Mabok was opened to traffic in 1892. An important line has been constructed from Teluk Anson (the port of Lower Perak) to Kinta opening up some rich tin districts. There are about 500 miles of telegraph and telephone wires in use.
The country is well suited for coffee, and there are two plantations owned by Europeans doing well, besides smaller ones owned by natives. Chinese tea of good quality is grown on the higher mountain ranges and pepper flourishes at lower levels. The Government are encouraging planting, and with the facilities of transit offered by the new railways and roads, it is expected that planting will become a very important industry in the state. The chief drawback at present is the cost of importedl abour.
The only duties levied on exports are a royalty of $10 per bhara (400 lbs.) on tin, and a royalty of one-tenth on timber, ataps, and other jungle produce. The value of the trade in 1895 was $9,581,000 imports and $15,596,225 exports, the former being an increase of $320,000 on 1894 and the latter a decrease of over $1,500,000, the decrease being mainly accounted for by the fall in the value of tin. Tin is the principal export. The revenue in 1895 was $4,033,612 as against $3,542,114 in 1891 and the expenditure $3,757,008, as against $3,587,224, in 1894 besides a special expenditure of over a million dollars on railway construction and roads.
DIRECTORY
GOVERNMENT
His Highness SULTAN SIR IDRIS, K.C.M.G., Yang-de-per-tuan of the State of Perak
His Highness the Sultan
The British Resident
The Secretary to the Government
Raja Musa
COUNCIL OF STATE
The Orang Kaya Datu Laksamana, Inche
Husein
The Orang Kaya Datu Temenggong, Hassan
LARUT DISTRICT BRITISH RESIDENCY
Resident-F. A. Swettenham, C.M.G. Resident's Clerk-Geo. E. Cropley
RESIDENCY COURT
Judge-H. H. Sultan Idris, K.C.M.G. Judge-The British Resident
Do. The Secretary to Government Assessor-The Orang Kaya Datu Temeng-
gong, Hassan
Do. The Orang Kaya Datu Laksa-
mana, Inche Husein
Do. The Datu Sri Adika Raja Do. The Orang Kaya Datoh Peng-
lima Kinta, Usuf
Do.
-The Datoh Muda, Abdul Wahab
The Datu Sri Adika Raja
The Datu Panglima Kinta, Usuf Toh Muda, Wahab
Captain Chang Ah Kwee Captain Chin Ah Yam Kho Bu Anh
Native Magistrate for Kwala Kanasa Dis- trict-Unku Mansur bin Raja Abdullah
Do.
Do.
-Datoh Sri Maharaja Lela -Lower Perak-Raja Musa
AUDIT DEPARTMENT
State Auditor-H. Vane (absent) Acting do. -A. Butler Assistant do. -F. J. Weld Acting do. -E. M. Baker Accountant-P. A. Reutens Chief Clerk—J. W. Kriekenbeck Clerks-H. S. Baptist, W. E. Siddons, J. Siriwardene, S. Carthegasan, A. Perera, W. Ferdinands, G. C. Fernando, A. Dish- man, N. Grenier, E. A. Reutens
Page 470Page 471
430
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.