Directory_and_Chronicle_1922 — Page 1406

MALACCA-FEDERATED MALAY STATES

WOMEN'S MISSION HOSPITAL AND DISPEN- SARY AND MATERNITY TRAINING SCHOOL (Church of England)-798, Tranquerah; Teleph. 136

1289

Dr. Oug, hon. visiting physician and

surgeon

Dr. Muriel A. Stowe, M.B., CH.B., medi-

cal officer-in-charge

Miss Hesseltine, sister-in-charge

FEDERATED MALAY STATES

The Protected States comprise four Residencies, namely, Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, and Paliang. These have been federated, the federation taking effect from the 1st July, 1896, and the administration is presided over by a British Officer styled the Chief Secretary to Government, who is subject to the High Commissioner to the Malay States, who is also Governor of the Straits Settlements. Each State has its own Resident and the native rulers retain their titles and dignity. The Federal Offices are at Kuala Lumpur, Selangor. The Federal Council was inaugurated on 10th December, 1909.

The record of these States is one of progress and prosperity. The revenue for 1920 was $72,277,146 (£8,432,334), and the expenditure $100,433,471 (£11,717,238). The assets on December 31, 1920, stood at $81,769,693 (£9,539,797). These States have 1,014 miles of railway in the Malay Peninsula (paid for out of current revenue), yielding good income; they have 2,395 miles of metalled roads, 166 miles of unmetalled roads, 1,826 miles of bridle roads and paths; and the wire mileage of telegraphs and telephones is 14.907 (of which 2.511 miles of wire is in underground cables). Waterworks, wharves, hospitals, prisons, schools, and many other public buildings have been constructed, while the Government of Perak has carried out an inportant scheme of irrigation which will benefit about 60,000 acres of land and cost about £200,000. The principal sources of revenue and prosperity are the alluvial tin deposits, which, at the present price of the metal, can be worked at considerable profit, and the plantation rubber industry, the country producing one-third of the world's supply of rubber. Tin has been worked in the Malay Peninsula for centuries, and it is believed it will still be produced three centuries hence. The industry has grown of recent years to very large proportions, but it would take a long time to work out the alluvial deposits in the lands already alienated, and these comprise but a fraction of the unexplored lands which still remain, where there is every reason to believe the mineral will be found in payable quantities. This only applies to alluavil deposits. No one can guess what are the reserves of ore in underground rock forma tions, as at Kuantan in Pahang, Slim in Perak, and Jelebu in the Negri Sembilan

The annual export of tin from these States is valued at over $60,000,000. As a matter of fact, the value of 67,884 piculs exported in 1920 was $88,429,179, against 620,518 piculs valued at $74,884,065 in 1919. The Government has not overlooked the fact that in the export of tin its capital is being reduced, and it has made an effort to supply another and more useful investment by the construction of railways with part, at least, of the revenue. The Federated States have expended over $144,134,625 in the construction or purchase of railways. The profits give a return of 0.39 per cent. on the capital expended.

Planting enterprise in the Federated Malay States for many years had not proved very successful, but the introduction of rubber cultivation has completely transformed the agricultural prospects of the country. The area now in possession in estates of 100 acres and over is 1,167,043 acres, of which 736,74 acres were under cultivation for rubber at the end of 1919. About 101,327 tons of rubber were exported from these States in 1920, valued at, approximately, £20,850,850 against 78,225 tons in 1918 valued at £13,563,893. Owing to the slump in the rubber industry, production was restricted in 1920, when the exports amounted to 101,326 tons, valued at £20,850,849. Sugar has practically gone out of cultivation, but the Government is endeavouring to revive the industry by offering land on special terms. Over 150,000 acres of