Directory_and_Chronicle_1906 — Page 1383

Directories & Chronicles 香港指南 All

1188

PERAK

Communication with other ports is kept up daily by small steamers between Penang and Larut, and every few days to all ports north of Bernam river. A steamer runs to Teluk Anson from Penang daily. There is also frequent communication by steamers running between Penang and Singapore.

The Dindings, including the island of Pangkor and the district of Dinding on the mainland, which is British territory, come under the administration of the 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, etc.; 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, etc., the Chinese form a large part of the population. The total number of miners in the State, according to a census taken in November 1902, is just over 80,000. 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, The line was extended to Kamunting in May, 1890, and to Ulu Sapetang in June, 1892. The Kinta valley railway, starting from Teluk Anson, runs through Batang Padang to Batu Gajah and Ipoh, and thence to Chemor. The first portion between Teluk Anson and Batang Padang was opened by Sir Cecil Smith in May, 1893, and the last portion between Tanjong Rambutan and Chemor, was opened in November, 1896. On 28th June, 1899, the Bukit Mertajam section of the Perak-Penang railway was opened and in August, 1903 the whole main line from Prai to Seramban a distance of 340 miles was completed. The cost of this line was 31 million dollars. It is understood that this ex- tension of the Federated Malay States Railway will be further carried forward so as to connect Province Wellesley and the States with Burma on the north and Siam on the east. 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, planting is likely to become a very important industry in the State. The cultivation of cocoanuts has been attended with encouraging results and now about 25,000 acres in Perak are turned into cocoanut plantations. Experiments. are now being made to cultivate Para Rubber. The chief drawback at present is the cost of imported labour.

The only duties levied on exports are a royalty of $11 per bhara (400 lbs.) on tin, and a royalty of one-tenth on timber, ataps, and other jungle produce. The value of the tin exported in 1903 amounted to no less than $35,873.208, which is more than half the State's total trade. The total trade in 1877 was only two million dollars; in 1903 it amounted to $61,212,565; and in 1904 it was over £58,000,000. The methods of mining are improving annually and the employment of machinery is extending rapidly.

Directory_and_Chronicle_1906 — Page 1383

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