1292
PENANG
Palms, bamboos, banana and other fruit-trees, and nutmegs clothe the hillsides, while ferns are also plentiful. The high land permits of the cultivation of many flowers and other plants which will not thrive in the flat level lands of Singapore or Malacca.
As evinced by its name, the chief product of Penang is the betel-nut, which, with copra and all kinds of fruit and nutmegs, is the only indigenous article of trade. Nut- megs were at one time a most important branch of industry, but the blight, which simultaneously affected the whole Peninsula, destroyed it. Their cultivation has, how- ever, now been resumed, and Penang nutmegs stand high in the market. There is no agriculture properly so-called. Pepper was at one period of its early history produced to the extent of three and a half million pounds annually; but the competition of other places, notably of Netherlands-India, proved fatal, and it is now only cultivated in small patches, and is not classed as an article of export trade. Tapioca, coconuts, gutta, rubber and citronella are also among the products cultivated.
The Singapore-Penang railway has its terminus at Prai, which is connected with the island by a ferry service.
The town possesses few attractions, and the public buildings are mediocre, with the exception of the Government Offices, a fine block erected in 1889 near the jetty. St. George's Church is an unpretending edifice of 80 years' standing, centrally situated. There are also a Roman Catholic Church and several mission chapels. The Botanical Gardens and Waterfall are well worthy of a visit, and another place of interest at some distance from the town is the Chinese Temple at Ayer Itam. The census of 1921 gave the total population of Penang and Province Wellesley (including Dindings) as 304,335, compared with 278,003 in 1911.
During 1923 the number of merchant vessels entered and cleared at the port was 4,834, as against 4,282 in 1922, the tonnage being 8,592,898 and 7,684,973, respectively. Of these, 3,420 vessels with a tonnage of 5,729,320 were British. The number of all vessels entered and cleared was 20,379.
The value of foreign imports and exports at Penang (merchandise only) for the years 1922 and 1923 was as follows:-
Imports Exports
........
1922 .$129,518,389 120,406,172
1923 $190,179,933
188,661,709
Total
$249,924,561
$378,841,642
DIRECTORY
GOVERNMENT OFFICES
AUDIT OFFICE
Auditor-T. S. Evans
Assist. Auditor-E. C. D'Orville Chief Clerk-Che Teh bin Che Din
BANKRUPTCY OFFICE
Acting Assistant Official Assignee-
C. W. A. Sennet
Chief Clerk-L. M. Thexeira 2nd Clerk-P. A. Gregory
CORONER'S DEPARTMENT
Coroner-Second Magistrate Assist. Protector of Chinese Assist. Supt., Govt. Monopolies
DEPUTY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE
Deputy Public Prosecutor-J. V. G.
Mills (acting)
DISTRICT COURT
District Judge-E. Pratt (actg.) Assist. do. N. K. Bain, do. Clerk of Court-M. Shunker Pillay
DISTRICT OFFICE, BALIK PULAU
Acting Dist. Officer G. Hawkins Chief Clerk-J. B. Loh
DISTRICT OFFICE, BUKIT MERTAJAM
Dist. Officer-J. I. Miller (acting) Chief Clerk-Mohd. Tambi
DISTRICT OFFICE, BUTTERWORTH, SENIOR Sr. Dist. Officer-G. A. Smith (actg.); Assist. to S.D.O.-D. Wills
Chief Clerk-K. Kandiah
Sanitary Inspector-L. S. Emaung
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