Directory_and_Chronicle_1923 — Page 1394

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JOHORE

The capital is the town of Johore Bahru, or new Johore, as distinguished from Johore Lama, or old Johore, the former seat of the Sultans of Johore, which was situated a few miles up the wide estuary of the Johore river. The new town is a flourishing little place on the nearest point of the mainland to Singapore island, and lying about 14 miles to the north-east of Singapore city, in 1° 26' N. It contains some 15,000 inhabitants, mostly Chinese. Amongst the Government buildings are the Istana, court and police stations, barracks, gaol, hospital, market, railway station and a mosque. A plentiful supply of water has been provided since March, 1890. Good roads are being made, and public works, such as the construction of waterworks and bridges and the establishment of an electric light and power station at Johore Bahru, are receiving a good deal of attention. The Public Works Department spent $5,498,425 in 1921.

The population of the State at the census in 1921 was ascertained to be 282,234 (as compared with 180,412 in 1911), of whom 618 were Europeans, 157,852 Malays, 97,253 Chinese, 24,180 Indians, 183 Eurasians, and 2,148 others. The Chinese are chiefly found as cultivators of gambier and pepper, and are spread over the range of country in the extreme southern end of the peninsula, nearest to Singapore, but there is also a large Chinese population on the Jemaluang tin-field near Mersing.

Imports Exports

1921

1920

$42,877,896

$24,730,135

68,685,787

34,051,796

$111,563,683

$58,781,931

European pioneers have, in the last few years, taken up large areas for planting, chiefly rubber and coconuts. Gambier and pepper cultivation is on the decline; the export of tapioca was 112,183 piculs in 1921, as compared with 140,667 piculs in 1920, and the values were $950,081 and $2,039,671, respectively. The export of rubber in 1921 amounted to 18,922 tons, valued at $16,097,138, against 26,824 tons in 1920, valued at $47,332,635. A remarkable feature of the rubber industry in this State is the large amount of land taken up by Japanese. In 1921, 22,948 tons of copra, valued at $1,587,530, were exported, and 11,882 tons of areca nuts, valued at $1,435,551.

At the present time the principal exports of Johore are the carefully cultivated rubber, copra, gambier, pepper and areça nuts, and the natural products of tin, timber, rattans and damar. For almost all such produce Singapore is the port of shipment.

Johore is rich in iron ore, and a mine is being successfully worked by Japanese in Batu Pahit. The first valuable discoveries of tin were made in the valley of Jemaluang, a small river flowing into the China Sea near Mersing, and there are indications of the presence of tin ore that may be worked at a profit at various places between Jemaluang and the Sedili. The export of tin ore in 1921 amounted to 1,492 tons, compared with 1,585 tons in 1920. The value of exported minerals was $2,107,038 in. 1921, as against $3,996,000 in 1920.