Directory_and_Chronicle_1930 — Page 1393

SELANGOR

1307

mouth of the Klang River and in which the Sultan resides. 3.-Kuala Langat, an agricultural district. 4.-Kuala Selangor, containing the most important fisheries in the State. 5.-Ulu Langat, an inland mining district on the borders of Negri Sembilan. 6.-Ulu Selangor, a district adjoining Perak, containing much valuable mining land, as yet comparatively undeveloped.

Each district is under the charge of a European District Officer, from whom the Native Penghulus (in charge of the mukims into which each district is sub-divided) received instructions. The Police Force consists of 28 gazetted superior officers, 968 subordinate police officers and men, and 65 detectives.

The population of Selangor in 1884, when the first census was taken, was 46,568 ; but at the last census, in 1921, the returns gave a total of 398,434, of whom 170,725 were Chinese, 89,676 Malays, 132,114 natives of India, 2,475 Europeans, 1,561 Eurasians and 1,883 others.

The principal industries of the State, and those from which it derives the largest portion of its revenue, are alluvial tin mining and rubber cultivation.

In addition to its rich mineral resources, the State possesses large tracts of land well adapted for agricultural purposes, and the removal of restrictions on the free importation of Indian labourers into the Protected Native States rendered it possible for European planters to obtain cheap labour and to open estates on a large scale. Small plantations of coffee, coconuts and pepper have been successfully con- ducted; rice and other products of the Peninsula under native cultivation are doing well in various parts of the State; and, to encourage pioneer planters, grants of land have in recent years been made, on special terms, for the planting of cane sugar, African oil palin and nipah palm. But the principal agricultural product here, as in the other Malay States, is rubber. There were 714,157 acres alienated for agricultural purposes at the end of the year 1928, comprising 482,995 acres under rubber, 102,072 acres under coconuts, 23,737 acres under rice, 13,583 acres under African oil palm and 21,188 acres under cultivation by native small-holders. The value of rubber exported in 1928 was $45,924,276.

The principal exports are tin, rubber, tapioca, canes, copra and spices. The principal imports are machinery, cotton piece goods, rice, oil, tobacco and tea. The only import duties are on opium, spirituous liquors, matches, petroleum, motor spirit, tobacco and alum, while export duties are payable only on minerals, agricultural products, ivory, fish, horns and hides, a few kinds of jungle produce and guttapercha. The export duty on tin has amounted in recent years to over four million dollars a year, the duty on the gross value of the tin being, roughly, 13 per cent. There were 55,810 acres alienated for mining at the end of 1928, mostly for tin. Tin and tin ore exported amounted to 25,547 tons against 14,337 in 1927. The value was $36,690,677, as compared with $34,784,786 in 1927. The Malayan Collieries, Ltd., turned out 556,590 tons of coal against 445,944 tons in 1927. The quality of the coal is reported to be excellent. A branch railway has been constructed to the mine.

There is frequent and regular communication, by means of coasting steamers, between the Straits Settlements and Selangor. From Kuala Lumpur the chief town on the mainland of the Peninsula, a system of cart and bridle roads extends to the boundaries of Perak, Negri Sembilan and Pahang. Branch lines of railway now extend in all directions, and the main trunk line passes through Selangor. Port Swettenham is the terminus of the railway on Klang Straits, and wharves have been constructed there capable of accommodating ocean-going steamers. The number and tonnage of merchant vessels, including native craft, entered and cleared at this port during 1928 were 11,102 vessels and 6,027,815 tons as compared with 11,538 vessels and 6.002,308 tons in 1927. There entered 665 ocean-going steamers against 652 in 1927.

Telegraph lines connect Selangor with the other States in the Malay Peninsula; telephones are established throughout the State, and postal and telegraph offices are to be found in all the towns and principal villages.

The State revenue in 1928 amounted to $34,770,604, against $38,769,934 in 1927; and the expenditure to $39,375,304, against $35,342,685 in 1927. On the first January, 1929, the assets of the State were $36,904,863 and its liabilities $547,205. Trade statistics were as follow:-

Imports.. Exports......

·

1927 $96,202,065 115,562,104

1928 $102,159,791

93,611,691