Directory_and_Chronicle_1922 — Page 1407

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FEDERATED MALAY STATES-PERAK

land are under coconuts, for which the soil and climate of these States are peculiarly well suited; and the cultivation of rice is only a question of irrigation and labour. In 1920, 419,988 piculs of copra, valued at £1,075,28, were exported against 417,717 piculs, valued at £600,434, in 1919. The success of every form of agriculture and of all the efforts of the Government to develop the country by means of railways, irrigation, and other great public works, depends upon an adequate supply of labour. The Governments of the Colony and the Federated Malay States, supported by the planters, by a new system of recruiting and by offering higher wages and other advantages, have succeeded in securing an adequate supply of Indian labour. An agricultural department to foster agricultural interests, encourage the cultivation of new products, to conduct experiments and to be a general source of information for planters, has been created, and is doing useful work.

It is estimated that there are in the Federated Malay States about 70,000 children of school-going age, but only about 32,000 of these attend any recognised school; while many live in places far removed from any school-house, it is a fact that education has no great attraction for Malay parents, or Malay children, who might contribute by far the largest number of scholars.. The Government offers every reasonable encouragement, and there is even a law in force in Selangor, the Negri Sem- bilan and in Perak for compelling the attendance of children who live within reasonable distance of a school, while scholars are allowed to travel free of charge on the railways. The population of the Federated Malay States was ascertained at the census of 1921 to be 1,298,292, comp tred with 1,036,999 in 1911. The male population increased in the ten years by 18.1 per cent. and the female population by 53.4 per cent. Of the total 5,678 were Europeans, 3,188 Eurasians, 485,450 Malays, 493,957 Chinese and 301,687 Indians. The returns for the bigger towns are as follow, the figures in parenthesis relating to 1911:-Kuala Lumpur, 80,356 (46,718), Ipoh, 36,872 (23,978), Taiping, 21,839 (19,556), Seremban, 17,264 (8,667), Kampar, 12,335 (11,604), Klang, 11,656 (7,657), Telok Anson, 10,858 (6,927).

The imports into the States in 1920 were valued at $170,522,123 (£19,894,248), while exports amounted to $288,715,698 (£33,683,498). The total of imports and exports com- bined (excluding bullion) was $4 9,237,821 (£53,577,746), against a total of $399,148,090 (£46,567,277) in 1919. The increase in 1920 is partly accounted for by an increase in values, but, generally, there was an increase in trade.

PERAK

Perak, the premier State of the Federated Malay States, is on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula, and lies between Kedah on the north and Selangor on the south. The coast-line is about 90 miles in extent; the greatest length of the State, in a north and south direction, is 150 miles, and the breadth, in an east and west direction, 90 miles. It is estimated to contain 7,875 square miles; that is to say, it is about the size of Yorkshire and Lancashire together. The soil is suitable for the cultivation of rubber, rice, coconuts, coffee robusta, spices of all kinds, sugar, and grasses from which essential oils are extracted.

The State is well watered by numerous streams and rivers, of which the river Perak is the most important. This river runs nearly south until it turns sharply to the westward and falls into the Straits of Malacca. It is navigable for about 40 miles from its mouth by steamers of 300 to 400 tons burden, and for another 100 miles by cargo boats. The upper part of the river is rocky and abounds in rapids, and conse- quently, except for small boats and rafts, is unnavigable. The Kinta, the Batang Padang and the Plus are the three large tributaries of the Perak river. These rivers rise in the main mountain range and flow west and south until they discharge them- selves into the Perak river.

The climate of Perak is good, the temperature in the low country averaging from 60° Fahr. in the night to 90° Fahr. in the heat of the day. The average mean is about 70° Fahr. in the night and 87° Fahr. in the day. The nights are uniformly cool. At