Directory_and_Chronicle_1923 — Page 1358

SELANGOR

This protected native State, containing an area of about 3,200 square miles, lies on the western coast of the Malay Peninsula, and is bounded by the protected native States of Perak on the north and Negri Sembilan on the south, extending inland to the mountains in the centre of the peninsula, which divide it from Pahang and Jelebu.

The Government consists of the Sultan, advised by the British Resident, and assisted by the State Council. The State is divided into the following six districts :- 1. Kuala Lumpur, the central district, where the Residency and principal Government Offices are situated, and which also contains the richest tin mines that have yet been developed. 2.--Klang, in which Port Swettenham, the principal port, is situated at the mouth of the Klang River. 3.-Kuala Langat, an agricultural district, in which the Sultan resides. 4.-Kuala Selangor, containing the most important fisheries in the State. 5.-Ulu Langat, an inland mining district on the borders of Negri Sembilan. 6.—Ulu Selangor, a district adjoining Perak, containing much valuable mining land, as yet comparatively undeveloped.

Each district is under the charge of a European District Officer, from whom the Native Penghulus (in charge of the mukims into which each district is sub-divided) receive instructions. The Police Force consists of 20 European and three Malay officers and 963 native non-commissioned officers and men.

The population of Selangor in 1881, when the first census was taken, was 46,568; but at the last census, in 1921, the returns gave a total of 398,434, of whom 170,725 were Chinese, 89,676 Malays, 132,114 natives of India, 2,475 Europeans, 1,561 Eurasians and 1,883 others.

The principal industries of the State, and those from which it derives the largest portion of its revenue, are alluvial tin mining and rubber cultivation.

In addition to its rich mineral resources, the State possesses large tracts of land well adapted for agricultural purposes, and the removal of restrictions on the free importation of Indian labourers into the Protected Native States rendered it possible for European planters to obtain cheap labour and to open estates on a large scale. Small plantations of coffee, cocoanuts and pepper have been successfully, con- ducted; rice and other products of the Peninsula under native cultivation are doing well in various parts of the State; and, to encourage pioneer planters, large grants of land have in recent years been made, on special terms, for the planting of sago, pepper, and gambier. But the principal agricultural product here, as in the other Malay States, is rubber. There were 644,840 acres alienated for agricultural purposes at the end of the year 192, comprising 415,641 acres under rubber, 63,472 acres, under coconuts, 20,013 acres under rice and 33,225 under kampong cultivation. During 1921, large areas for sugar and African oil palm were applied for. The value of rubber exported in 1920 was $69,256,250; and in 1921, $26,980,959.

The principal exports are tin, rubber, hides, tapioca, canes, rattans, coffee, copra, spices and guttapercha. The principal imports are machinery, cotton piece goods, rice, oil, tobacco and tea. The only import duties are on opium, spirituous liquors, matches, petroleum, motor spirit, motor vehicles, bicycles, etc., and tobacco and cigars, while export duties are payable only on minerals, agricultural products, ivory, fish, horns and hides, a few kinds of jungle produce and guttapercha. The export duty on tin has amounted in recent years to about three million dollars a year, the duty on the gross value of the tin being, roughly, 13 per cent. There were 62,138 acres alienated for mining at the end of 1921, mostly for tin. Tin and tin ore exported amounted to 172,194 piculs against 162,392 in 1920. The value was $15,123,186 as compared with $24,870,599 in 1920. Of wolfram 924 piculs were exported. The Malayan Collieries, Ltd., is now at work at Rantau Panjang, and turned out 299,351 tons of coal against 247,911 tons in 1920. The quality of the coal is reported to be excellent. A branch railway has been constructed to the mine.

There is frequent and regular communication, by means of coasting steamers, between the Straits Settlements and Selangor. From Kuala Lumpur a system of oart and bridle roads extends to the boundaries of Perak, Negri Sembilan and Pahang. Branch lines of railway now extend in all directions, and the main trunk