Directory_and_Chronicle_1933 — Page 1509

MALACCA FEDERATED MALAY STATES

TAN SOO HOCK & Co., Motor Car and Wireless Dealers and General Merchants -127, Jonker Street; Teleph. 15

UNITED ENGINEERS, LIMITED (Incorporated in the Straits Settlements), Civil Structural, Mechanical, Electrical, Sanitary and Marine Engineers, Dredge and Ship Builders, Steel, Brass and Iron Founders Office River side; Teleph. 31; Works: Banda Hillir; Teleph. 94; Cable Ad: Uniteers

A. M. Drysdale, manager

(for codes and list of agencies see

Singapore)

و

1365

WAH SEONG PRESS (Proprietors Malacca Guardian, Ltd.), Wholesale and Retail Printers and Stationers —— 16,

16, Jonker Street

Chan Swee Lee, manager

Yam Zse Choon, sub-manager Wong Kum Poh, assist. do. V. N. Nair, works foreman

W.

WHITEAWAY, LAIDLAW & Co., LTD. (Incor- porated in England), Drapers, Boot and Shoe Importers, China and Glass Mer- chants-River Side; Teleph. 200; Cable Ad: Whiteaways

FEDERATED MALAY STATES

The Protected States comprise four Residencies, namely, Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Pahang. These have been federated since July 1st, 1896, and the administration is presided over by a British Officer styled the Chief Secretary to Government, who is subject to the High Commissioner to the Malay States, who is also Governor of the Straits Settlements. Each State has its own Resident and the native rulers retain their titles and dignity. The Federal Offices are at Kuala Lumpur, Selangor. The Federal Council was inaugurated on December 10th, 1909.

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The record of these States is one of progress and prosperity. The States have over 1,148 miles of railway in the Malay Peninsula (paid for out of current revenue), yield- ing good income; they have 2,780 miles of metalled roads, 156 miles of unmetalled roads, 1,850 miles of bridle roads and paths; and the wire mileage of telegraphs and telephones is 25,491 (of which 13,293 miles of wire is in underground cables). ́ Water- works, wharves, hospitals, prisons, schools, and many other public buildings have been constructed, while the Government of Perak has carried out an important scheme of irrigation at a cost of about £200,000. The principal sources of revenue and prosperity are the alluvial tin deposits, and the plantation rubber industry, the country producing one-third of the world's supply of rubber. Tin has been worked in the Malay States for centuries and the F.M.S. have been for many years now the largest producers of tin ore in the world. The deposits worked are for the most part alluvial but the country also possesses lode deposits.

Planting enterprise in the Federated Malay States for many years had not proved very successful, but the introduction of rubber cultivation completely transformed the agricultural prospects of the country. The area now in possession in estates of 100 acres and over is approximately 1,650,000 acres, of which 920,112 acres are under cultivation for rubber. Sugar has practically gone out of cultivation, but the Govern- ment is endeavouring to revive the industry by offering land on special terms. Over 239,730 acres of land are under coconuts, for which the soil and climate of these States are peculiarly well suited, and the cultivation of rice is only a question of irrigation and labour. The success of every form of agriculture and of all the efforts of the Government to develop the country by means of railways, irrigation, and other great public works, depends upon an adequate supply of labour. The Governments of the Colony and of the Federated Malay States, supported by the planters, have succeeded in securing an adequate supply of Indian labour, by a new system of recruiting and by offering higher wages and other advantages. An Agricultural Department to foster agricultural interests, to encourage the cultivation of new pro- ducts, to conduct experiments and to be a general source of information for planters, is doing useful work.

In the Federated Malay States there are approximately 57,161 children attending English and Malay Schools conducted or supported by the Government. In addition to these schools there are a number of Chinese vernacular schools supported by the