Directory_and_Chronicle_1908 — Page 1438

Tobacco (diff. sorts) ..

Tripang

Victuals (diff, sorts) Wood (sandal

Wood (timber)

NETHERLANDS INDIA

72,745,702 822,203

1301

57.485,696

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822,203

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3,121,757

143,811

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719,055 kilo

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4,032,636

Diamonds are found in Borneo, gold in Sumatra, Celebes, Borneo, and Timor, plati- num in Borneo, silver in small quantities in Sumatra and Borneo, copper in Java, Timor and Borneo, iron in Celebes, Sumatra, and Borneo, tin of excellent quality and in large quantities in Banka, Billiton, and Singkep, and of inferior quality in some other islands, lead in Sumatra and Borneo, zinc in small quantities in Java and Sumatra, coal in Borneo, Sumatra, Java and in Batjan, jodium and naptha in Java, saltpetre in Java, marble in Java and especially in Sumatra. Salt of excellent quality is produced in Madoera and also in the other islands, by evaporation of the sea water. Kerosene oil is produced in abundance in Java, Sumatra, and Borneo, and gives enormous profits.

The possession of the soil by the natives is strongly protected by law. As a gene- ral rule the ground cannot be sold to foreigners, not even to Dutchinen, nor to their descendants who are born in India. The Government is authorized to dispose of un- cultivated grounds and grant parts of them for a certain period to foreigners (erfpacht). On the 31st December, 1900, the stock of cattle in Java and Madoera consisted of 2,436,031 buffaloes, 2,654,809 other horned cattle, and 418, 400 horses (ponies).

REVENUE, FINANCES

The revenue of the colony is derived from different taxes, viz., export and import duties, excise, ground tax, licences, poll tax, succession duties and stamp duties, the rent of farms (opium, gambling-houses, pawn-brokers' shops, etc., etc.), monopolies (opium, salt, pawnhouses), tin mines, forests, railways, mining, and agricultural concessions, the cultivation of coffee, and sundry petty articles. In former years the cultivation of coffee was the principal source of revenue, but of late years there has been a constant decrease. In the residencies in Java (except Batavia, Bantam, Cheribon, Rembang, Soerabaja, Banjoemas, Soerakarta and Djókjakarta), where the ground is suitable for the cultivation of coffee, a certain number of natives are obliged to plant every year a number of coffee trees, to take care of the plantations, to dry the fruit, and to deliver it into the Government godowns. They are therefore free of ground tax and receive a remuneration at the fixed rate of fifteen guilders per picul.

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In nearly all the residencies of Java and Madoera, in Sumatra (except Acheen aud dependencies), in Banka, Billiton, and Borneo, private persons are not allowed to make to import salt. Fine table salt, salt for medicinal use and salt wanted for packing preserves, can be imported on payment of a duty. The large bulk of the salt that is wanted for the Government monopoly is made in Madoera, where the people are obliged to deliver the salt into the Government godowns at the fixed rate of ten guilders per kojan (1,680 kilogrammes).

After a trial in Madoera (since September 1st, 1894), Lombok and in four residencies of Java, in 1898 the Government resolved upon taking the management of the opium monopoly into its own hands and to sell the drug on the system of rézie" to the population without the intermediation of farmers. The "régie" has since been in force in Java, Madoera and Lombok, and in the residencies Lampongsche Districten Benkoelen, Ternate en Onderhoorigheden, Banka en Onderhoorigheden, Palembang Menado, the Government Sumatra's Westkust and the Government Celebes en Onderhoorigheden. In Bantam and the Preanger-Regencies, the sale of “regie" opium is, however, only allowed in some places. In regions where the "régie” is introduced the sale of opium otherwise than by "régie" is prohibited. The Resident grants to certain persons a permit to open certain houses where the opium can be smoked. It is forbidden to keep a stock of opium not derived from the "régie" and the monopoly of the Government is strongly protected by penalties. The revenue of the opium monopoly was calculated for 1906 at 20,484,058 of which 16,349,858 are from the "régie."

After having given the matter a trial at Soekaboemi (since April 1st, 1901) and at several other places of Java the Government resolved to take in hand the managenient of the pawnhouses, with the intention of protecting the native population from the evils they suffer from the present system of farming out the pawnhouses. In the course of 1906 the total number of pawns, delivered at the 38 existing Government pawn-

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