Directory_and_Chronicle_1925 — Page 1491

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NETHERLANDS-INDIA

Diamonds are found in Borneo; gold in Sumatra, Celebes and Borneo; silver in Sumatra, Celebes and Borneo; copper in Java, Celebes and Borneo; iron in Celebes, Sumatra, Borneo and Java; tin of excellent quality and in large quantities in Bangka, Belitoeng and Singkep, and in small quantities in Sumatra and some other islands; lead in Sumatra and Borneo; zine in small quantities in Java and Sumatra; eoal in Borneo, Sumatra, and Java; manganese in Java; jodium in Java; saltpetre in Java; marble in Java and in Sumatra. Salt of excellent quality is produced in Madoera and also in the other islands by evaporation of the sea water. Kerosene oil is produced in abundance in Java, Sumatra and Borneo, and gives enormous profits.

The possession of the soil by the natives is strongly protected by law. As a general rule the ground cannot be sold to foreigners, not even to Dutchmen, nor to their descendants who are born in India. The Government is authorized to dispose of un- cultivated grounds and grant parts of them for a certain period to foreigners (erfpacht)

REVENUE AND FINANCE

The revenue of the colony is derived from different taxes, viz., import and export duties, excise, ground taxes, capitation tax as an equivalent for abolished Statute Labour of natives, personal tax, ineome tax, corporation profits tax, slaughter tax, licences, succession duties, stamp duties, duty on public sales, transfer and assignment duty, monopolies (opium, salt, pawn-shops), mines (tin, eoal and gold), forests, railways, mining, and agricultural eoncessions.

The salt required for the Government monopoly is made in Madoera, where the people are obliged to deliver it into the Government godowns at a fixed rate per kojang By gradually extending the sphere of prohibitory measures, the use of opium is declining, together with the profits the Government derived from the régie system.

The pawnshop-monopoly, also, is gradually being expanded all over the archipelago. much to the benefit of the lower elasses.

The tin mines of Bangka are exclusively worked by Government; the management of the exploitation, the melting of the ore, and the transport of the tin to the godowns being in the hands of Chinese mining corporations (kongsi's) or of private contractors and their labourers, while some of the valleys are worked in "regie." For the most important districts a caloric electric power-plant has been erected. Two private eom- panies hold concessions for tin mines, one in Belitoeng and the other in Singkep; the first is to be converted into a new company wherein Government joins for the larger hare of the capital.

The monetary system of Netlierlands-India consists of gold coins of the value of ten and five guilders, silver coins of two guilders and a half, of one guilder, and of half a guilder (these coins are the same as those in the Netherlands); besides silver coins of f.050, £.025, and f.010, bearing Malay and Javanese inscriptions; nickel coins of f.0'05, and copper eoins of f.0.025 (24 eent), f.001 (one eent), and f.0'005 (eent). Moreover, the Government issues currency notes of f.2.50 and f.1. The issue of bank-notes is a mono- poly of the Java Bank.

ARMY AND NAVY

The Army of Netherlands-India numbers 1,212 officers, 32,482 non-commissioned officers and men-all volunteers; and 20,853 militia. It is separate from and inde- pendent of the Netherlands Army. The Commander-in-Chief and all the Generals are appointed by the Queen. Besides the Army there are different armed troops viz. :----

a. -The Legion of the Native Prince Mangkoe Nagară, consisting of infantry numbering about 925 men. In case of war this Legion is at the conmand of the Government.

b.-The Barisan, being native infantry of Madoera, about 1,617 men, de- signed to maintain peace in the island and to participate in campaigns in case of

war.

c.-Volunteer-corps.

d.-Police soldiers, numbering 6,000 men.

The Netherlands Navy in these Colonies numbers 246 officers and 1,361 European and 1,557 native non-commissioned officers and sailors, and consists of 33 men-of-war. There is, besides, the Colonial Navy, consisting of 20 smaller ships with 154 Europeans and 783 natives, employed for civil service duties.