Directory_and_Chronicle_1913 — Page 1485

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KEDAH

Situated on the north-west coast of the Peninsula, between the parallels of 5′50′′ and 6:40° North and the meridians of 99 40′ and 100′55 ́ E., Kedah has an area of over 3,0 square miles. In the north and east the country is hilly, but the plains in the south and west are well-watered and fertile, padi and rice being the chief agricultural products at present, though the future is likely to see a considerable amount of rubber and coconut cultivation.

The first work undertaken by Mr. W. G. Maxwell, who took up the advisership in July, 199, was to reconstitute the administrative departments on the F.M.S. model. In every department great progress has been made, and special mention should be made of the legislation for the speedy abolit.on of "debt bondage,” a peculiar feature of ancient Malay life.

A proper Survey Department has been constituted. Road making, bridge building and canal extension are features of the new régime, and a start will soon be made with the extension of the railway from Province Wellesley into Kedah as far as the capital. Alor Star. New post offices have been established throughout the country, the money order system introduced and telegraph and telephone systems extended. Arrange- ments have been made to connect the telephones with Penang.

At the 1911 Census the population was 245,986, of whom 195,411 were Malays, 33,746 Chinese, 6,074 Indians and 136 Europeans (128 British). The revenue for 1910 was $1,449, 16 against $1,240,276 in 1909, and the expenditure 81.285,342 against 81,005,328, Seventy-three per cent. of the revenue is derived from the opium monopoly, land revenue and export and import duties. In 1910, 693 tons of tin were exported and 12 tous of wolfram. During that year, 16,741 head of cattle were licensed either as imported or born in the country as against 1,125 in 1909; 15,808 sales were registered against 6,599 in 1909. Exports were as follows: -

Rice (Gantangs), Padi,

1509

1910 $3,278,000 $614,0-0 $7,950,000 $ 3,6-3,936

There was great activity in rubber planting, and out of 40 agricultural estates registered at the end of 1910 only one had no rubber trees. The total acreage was 24,005, of which 20,034 acres were under rubber, 2,679 coconuts and 10,005 tapioca.

DIRECTORY

Sultan-H. H. Sir Abdul Hamid bin Ahmat Tajudin, K.C.M.G.

Aide-de-Camp-Tunku Bahadursha

Secret ory –Che Muhammad Arafin STATE COUNCIL OFFICE

President H. H. Tunku Mahmud Adviser--W. George Maxwell Acting Adviser-Meadows Frost Asst. Adviser -A. Cavendish Secretary-Muhammad Sheriff Asst. Secretary Mohamed Saeid Chief Clerk--Wan Salim

TREASURY

State Treasurer-Tunku Zain Alrashid

AUDIT OFFICE

Auditor General --Syed Muhammad Sha-

habudin

Asst. Auditor General-A. G. Ward

Do.

-J. McDonough

Senior Auditor - Syed Rahir

Chief CouRT

Chief Julge-Syed Hassan Barakabalı Asst. do. Syed Abdullah

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SURVEY DEPARTMENT Supdt. Surveys R. W. B. Darke

PUPLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT State Engineer-J. Gorman Asst. do. -F. G. Finch Engineer Surveyor --P. Erskine Clerk of Works--A. H. Dragon

MINES DEPARTMENT Acting Supdt. Che Kassin

POSTS AND TELEGRAPHS

Superintendent-S. Asirvadam

POLICE COURT

Chief Magistrate--Che Mat

Asst. do. ---Wan Muhammad Sahid

POLICE

Inspector General-1. H. Tunku Ibrahim

Asst. Commissioner-W. E. Speers

Digitized do Oogle. F. Joyce