Directory_and_Chronicle_1916 — Page 1481

Directories & Chronicles 香港指南 All

KELANTAN

1375

happening since then was the determination in 1912 of the agreement between the Sul- tan and the Duff Development Company, and the resumption by the Government of the sovereign powers conceded to the company over nearly two-thirds of the State. A new working agreement has been prepared under which the Government of Kelantan undertakes to pay to the company a sum of £300,000 sterling and to grant to them the following rights: (a) The sole right to select blocks of land for agricultural purposes, amounting in the aggregate to not more than 50,000 acres; (b) the sole prospecting rights for minerals over the area of the concession; and (c) the sole prospecting right over an area of approximately 78 square miles in the Sokor district, and the right to take up mining leases and certain other rights.

Over thirty miles of the railway which is to connect the F.M.S. and Siamese systems is completed in Kelantan, southwards from Tumpat, and work on the extension southwards to the Pahang boriler is in progress, opening up the State for planting and mining.

According to the census of 1911 the population is 286,751. There is a police force of 285 men.

In 1909, the revenue amounted to $370,959 and the expenditure to $377,062. In 1914, the revenue had risen to $762,772 and the expenditure to $805,965. The public debt at the transference of the suzerainty was $150,000, upon which Siam charged 6 per cent. This debt was taken over by the F.M.S., interest being reduced to 4 per cent. The debit balance of the State at the end of 1914 was $3,309,226; but it must be borne in mind that this large increase is largely represented by permanent public works which tend to the development of the country and are thus, more or less, of a remunerative character. The value of the imports in 1914 was $2,721,898 against $8,948,325 in 1913, and of exports $1,891,162 against $2,022,307 in 1913. The principal imports were: cotton piece goods, sarongs, machinery, cycles and accessories, ironware, cement, coal, woodenware, matches, kerosene, opium, tobacco, salt and woollen goods. The tonnage of steamers using Kelantan ports amounted to 106,286 in 1914 against 123,734 in 1913. There is regular steamship communication with Singapore.

About 166,249 acres were under cultivation in 1914. This comprised 91,900 acres devoted to padi, 31,000 to coconuts, and 16,532 to rubber. The export of rubber in 1914 was over 300 tons, as compared with 50 tons in 1912. The export of copra was 64,826 piculs compared with 84,749 in 1912. The falling off does not indicate a reduction in production, but rather the utilisation locally of the coconuts. A large Chinese firm from Singapore has started a coconut oil mill below Kota Bahru, in addition to sago and padi mills, and coconut oil now appears amongst the exports. Over 18,000 coconuts were exported. 4,179 head of cattle, 379 sheep, and 61,440 head of poultry were exported in 1914. The export of tin-ore in 1914 amounted to 147 piculs against 114 piculs in 1913, and of gold 920 ounces against 142 in 1913.

Directory_and_Chronicle_1916 — Page 1481

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