Directory_and_Chronicle_1909 — Page 1649

Sarawak SERVICE BANK, Kuching

Hon. F. H. Dallas, manager C. Hong Szee, cashier and clerk

SARAWAK

SARAWAK & SINGAPORE STEAMSHIP Co., LD.

Agents-Borneo Company, Ld.

Agents in S'pore-Ong Ewe Hai & Co.

SCHOOLS

Mission Schools (S.P.G.), Kuching

H. W. Gregg, head master

Kho. Guan Lim, assistant

Kitto,

Junit,

Solieman

Khi Kong

do.

do.

do.

Miss C. Sharp, Miss Olver, Miss Bristow,

Girls' School

Quop School

Rev. Chong Ah Luk Sabu School, Undup Rev. W. Howell Banting School

1413

Rev. G Dexter Allen, M.A., and Miss V.

Hall

Government Free School, Kuching

Malay-Smail

Government Chinese School, Bau

Teacher-

Sarawak Union (old boys S.P.G. Mission)

President-The Bishop

Vice President-Vicar of Kuching Secretary-H. W. Gregg

Lundu School

Merdang School

Buda

BRITISH NORTH BORNEO

This territory, formerly known as Sabah, situated at the northern end of the island of Borneo, has a coast line of about 500 miles. The population is made up of Malays Bajaus, Dusuns Sulus, Filipinos, and is estimated to number about 200,000, (see below) which includes about 12,000 Chinese. The chief geographical feature in the territory is the mountain of Kina Balu, about 13,700 feet high. The principal river on the West coast is the Padas; but the country possesses many considerable and valuable rivers. On the East there are the Kinabatangan, Labuk, Sugut, Segama, and many others, The best harbours are those of Jesselton on the West coast, Kudat on the North. Sandakan on the East.

The climate is particularly pleasant for the tropics; the days are rarely very hot while a blanket is often required at night; and very little inconvenience is experienced from insect pests, such as mosquitoes and the like. Hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disturbances are unknown. The seas are teeming with fish, and the export trade in dried and salted fish is increasing. Trade with Hongkong, especially in timber, is well established, and steamers for Hongkong and Singapore, whence the majority of the trade supplies are obtained, are frequent. Amongst the zoological productions of North Borneo are to be noted elephants, rhinoceros, deer of three kinds, wild cattle, pigs, bears, and pythons. Of game birds there are a few-argus, fire back, and bulwer pheasants, wild duck, many varieties of wild pigeon and doves, nipe, and quail.

Sandakan has a magnificent harbour and is the chief place of trade. The imports include cloth, rice, hardware, manufactured goods of all kinds, opium, Chinese tobacco, Chinese coarse crockery, matches, biscuits, oil, sugar, &c. The chief exports are tobacco, timber, cutch and rattans, gutta-percha, india-rubber, birdsnests, seed pearls, bêche de mer, sharks' fins, camphor, tortoiseshell, beeswax, and other natural products, which are brought in from the interior, the neighbouring Sulu Archipelago, &c. Coal fields are now being exploited, throughout the territary. The Cowie Harbour Coal mines at Silipopon have been worked with great success. For transporting coal there are two lighters capable of carring 450 tons each, two of 100 tons each, and another building. About 3,000 tons of coal is stocked at mines and at Sebatik.

The revenue of the territory inclusive of Land Sales for 1907 was $1,210,870, and the estimated revenue for 1908 was $1,276,082. The Expenditure for 1907 was $683,325 and the estimated Expenditure for 1903 was $628,795. The customs returns for 197 were Imports $2,921,100, Exports $4,3 32,913. Tobacco-planting promises to become a great and profitable industry, and the tobacco already raised obtains a ready sale at very high prices. Cutch is extracted from mangrove bark and is being exported in increasing quantities. A great effort to introduce the cultivation of the Chinese poppy (opium) failed. Rubber is the latest and most popular industry.