Directory_and_Chronicle_1927 — Page 1364

THE EAST COAST OF SUMATRA

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Land is leased from the ruling prince or chief of the district for a certain number of years, so much per bahu or per acre being paid down, and a minimum f. 1 per bahu or per acre per annum being paid as annual quittance.

The supremacy of the Dutch Government is based upon political treaties with each of the Princes, in whose hands is left the jurisdiction over their own subjects except so far as relates to the infliction of the death penalty and banishment, and the disposal of land or landed property. Land contracts with Europeans, while made between the ruling prince and the concessionaire, are subject to the approval of the Governor, Mining contracts require the approval of the Governor-General of the Netherland-Indies. In all the States the Dutch Government has bought the right to collect the customs duties and the ordinary revenues. Land revenue, collected by Government officials, is at the disposal of the native rulers and his chiefs. The best known of the States is Deli, where tobacco planting was first introduced, and by which name the whole of the East Coast is sometimes designated. Deli, Langkat, Serdang and other tobacco-growing districts, are celebrated throughout the world for their fine silky tobacco leaf, which is specially suited for the outside wrappers of cigars, being at once light in weight and elastic and strong in texture. The leading tobacco company is the Deli Maatschappij, which, for many years, has paid a dividend averaging 75 per cent. per annum. Next to tobacco, with a planted area of 172,000 acres, the cultiva- tion of rubber (Hevea Brasiliensis) has developed to such an extent in recent years that now there is a planted area of some 500,000 acres. There are also important planta- tions of tea (30,000 acres), palm-oil (75,000 acres) and hemp. The capital invested in rubber estates amounts to more than £20,000,000. The total capital invested in the districts for all cultivations together amounts to £40,000,000. The territory in which rubber grows stretches from Langkat in the north to Asahan and Siak in the south.

Very important, also, is the export of fish froin Bagan Si Api Api-the second fish export harbour of the world-to Singapore and Java. Considerable, also, is the export of timber from the islands near Bengkalis to Singapore. About 3,000 coolies are employed in this trade. The production of paddy, though considerable, falls short of the demand by many thousand bags, which are mostly imported from the Straits Settlements. Kerosene oil is exported from Langkat to the Straits Settlements, British India, Hongkong, Siam and China. Almost all necessaries of life have to be imported, and a brisk trade between Java, the Straits Settlements, Europe and the East Coast is the consequence.

Medan (Deli), the residence of the principal civil and military officials, is a pleasant little town, laid out in modern style, and the streets are lit with electric light. Asplendid residence with architectural pretensions has been built for the Governor in the new quarter of Polonia. In the town six European banking corporations-the Javabank, the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China, the Nederlandsche Handel Maatschappij, the Nederlandsch-Indische Handelsbank, the Nederlandsch-Indische Escompto Maatschappij, and Uniebank voor Nederland en Kolonien-have their branches, and there are also two Chinese banks. There are two very good hotels (Hotel de Boer and Grand Hotel), a Club (Witte Societeit), a Race Club, numerous houses of business, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Malay, Bombay and Kling shops, etc.

The port of Belawan (Deli), on the Belawan River, is in communication with Medan by road and railway, the lines of which extend a long distance up country and the north, giving also communication via Tandjoeng Poera and Pangkalan Brandan with Koeta Radja (Atcheen) and to the south, via Tebing Tinggi, with Tandjoeng Balei (Asahan) and Pematang Siantar. Other important ports are those of Pangkalan Brandan, Tandjoeng Poera, Tandjoeng-Balei, Bengkalis, Bagan Api Api and Laboean Bilik.

The population under this Government numbered in November, 1920, 7,882 Europeans, 1,042,930 natives, and 146,742 other Orientals-a total of 1,197,554, as compared with 830,202, in 1915 and 568,417 in 1905.