Directory_and_Chronicle_1916 — Page 1485

KEDAH

Situated on the north-west coast of the Peninsula, between the parallels of 5° 50 min. and 6o 40 min. North and the meridians of 99° 40 min. and 100° 55 min. E., Kedah has an area of over 3,000 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 agricul- tural 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 advisershid in July, 1909, 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 abolition 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 regime, and the railway from Bukit Mertajam, in Province Wellesley, has been extended through Alor Star, the capital of Kedah, to connect with the Siamese railways on the frontier of Perlis. New post offices have been established throughout the country, the money order system introduced and the telegraph and telephone systems extended. Arrangements 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). It was estimated at 250,000 in 1914. The revenue for 1914 was $2,513,789 against $2,407,195 in 1913, and the expenditure $2,989,518 against $2,341,239. There is a loan of $2,720,953 from the Federated Malay States. In 1914, 860 tons of tin were exported and 25 tons of wolfram. Rubber planting continues to make steady progress, and the value of the rubber exported in 1914 amounted to $1,527,500 as compared with $1,323,600 in 1913. The value of the coconuts, betel nuts and miscellaneous agricultural produce exported in 1914 was $323,040 against $235,000 in 1913.

DIRECTORY

Sultan--H. H. Sir ABDUL HAMID BIN AHMAT TAJUDIN, K.C.M.G, Regent-H. H, Tunku Ibrahim

Aide-de-Camp-Tunku Bahadursha

Secretary to Government-Che Mohammad Ariffin

STATE COUNCIL OFFICE

President- H. H. Tunku Ibrahim Vice-President-Tunku-Mahmood Acting Adviser-G. A. Hall Asst. Adviser—A. Cavendish Secretary-Mohamed Sheriff

TREASURY

State Treasurer-Tunku Zainub Rashid

AUDIT OFFICE

Auditor General-Syed Muhammad Sha-

habudin

Asst. Auditor General-Stanley Dennys

Do.

--J. McDonough

HIGH COURT-ALOR STAR, Kedah Chief Judge-Syed Hassan Barakabah Asst. do. Syed Mansur Aljopee Second Asst. Chief Judge-Chí Shuaib Registrar-Syed Mohamad Idid Sheriff-Che Awang

Deputy Registrar-Shaikh. Md. Hashim

Do. Sheriff-Che Endoet

SURVEY DEPARTMENT

Supdt. Surveys--R. W. B. Darke Asst. Supt. Surveys -J. Dewar

--F. B. Sewell

Do.

1st Grade Surveyor--C. Y. B. Sewell

Do.

-F. R. Charlton

Surveyor-L. D. Meyer