Directory_and_Chronicle_1928 — Page 1186

THE UNFEDERATED MALAY STATES-JOHORE

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ealendar. The system of internal administration differs very greatly; on broad lines, however, the resemblance between the States is strong. They are all Mohammedan countries, and are governed by a Ruler who is advised by a State Council. (Johore has separate Legislative and Executive Couneils; in the other States the Councils are both Legislative and Executive.) They use the eoinage and the eurreney notes of the Straits Settlements. Their European officials are British officers, almost all of whom are lent, on deputation, to them by the Governments of the Straits Settlements and the Federated Malay States. Johore, Kedah, Kelantan and Trengganu have their separate issues of stamps. The small State of Perlis (which in earlier days was a part of Kedalı, and which is still closely conneeted with it) uses the Kedah stamps.

JOHORE

This State occupies the southern portion of the Malay Peninsula, and has an area of about 7,678 square miles. The State is ruled by a Sultan, who is independent, but under the protection of the British Government so far as external policy is eoneerned. The present Sultan, Ibrahim, was born in 1873, and succeeded his father, the late Sultan Abubakar, in 1895, being crowned on the 2nd of November of that year. On the 1st January, 1916, the dignity of an Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George was conferred on His Highness the Sultan by His Majesty the King, and the investiture took place at Johore Bahru on May 11th, 1916. More recently, His Highness has been decorated with the Order of the British Empire in further recognition of his services during the Great War. Since 1910, the Sultan has had the services of an officer of the Straits or F.M.S. Civil Services as General Adviser, and other members of these services are seconded to control various departments, with the result that the government is now on a better footing and the finances have materially improved. The country has- made great progress in material prosperity, and its orderly condition has attracted a good deal of European eapital, invested in planting enterprises.

The revenue for 1926 amounted to $18,781,565 against $15,884,592 in 1925, and the expenditure to $18,099,232 in 1926 against $9,780,322 in 1925. Improved methods of collection and administration and the expansion of the agricultural and tin-mining industries are faetors in the increase of revenue. Surplus assets at the end of 1926 amounted to $17,935,508. The railway, which connects Singapore with the F.M.S. system, was completed in 1909, and its eonstruction has already given a great impetus. to the opening up of this fertile State. Along its 120 miles it provides access to the extensive areas of valuable forest land not eonveniently reaelied by the natural waterways. It is operated and leased by the F.M.S. Railway Department, which now controls the whole of the railways in the Malay Peninsula. A causeway has been eonstrueted over the Straits of Johore, between the mainland of Johore and the Island of Singapore, carrying a railway track and a roadway. It was opened for passenger trains on 1st October, 1923. The roadway was opened to vehicular traffic on 28th June, 1924. The State owns a light railway in Muar, but this has now been closed to passenger traffic, the opening up of a road system making the district more accessible.

Eighty-nine schools are maintained by the Government, and four of these are English Schools passing boys through the Cambridge School Certificate Examination. At the English College, which is conducted on the lines of an English Public School, there were 71 boys in residence in 1927. A Training College for Vernacular Masters was opened in April, 1926, and thirty-three student teachers are in residence.

The eapital 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. Public Works have received a good deal of attention in recent years and $5,291,011 was spent on them in 1926. There are now over 600 miles of roads in the State, and new roads are being constructed.