Directory_and_Chronicle_1934 — Page 1602

MACASSAR

Macassar, the capital of the "gouvernement" Celebes and Dependencies, is situated 119° 24′ E. longitude and 5° 8' S. latitude. The population numbered in 1927 about 86,662, of whom 3,600 were Europeans, 67,178 natives, 15,212 Chinese and 602 foreign Orientals. These figures do not include the floating population of native coolies working in the docks.

As the principal centre of trade in the north-eastern part of the Archipelago, the place has great importance as a transit port. There is an old wharf 510 metres long (the Wilhelminakade), with custom-houses and godowns for general use and a new concrete quay about 1,400 metres in length (the Julianakade), where the steamship companies have their own waterfront, godowns and offices. The northern end of the waterfront is connected by a highway, several kilometres long, with the business quarters and warehouses. A break water 2,700 metres long protects the harbour from rough seas. Macassar has been closed as a free port since August, 1906. The town is nicely built. A fine thoroughfare, lined with tamarind trees, traverses the principal part, where the Government House and other public buildings are situated, and leads on both sides to large grass-covered squares the Koningsplein and Kerkplein. A busi- ness centre consists of Passar Street, Wilhelminakade and Julianakade. The pleasan- test living quarters are General van Daalen weg and Hospitaalweg, where houses with colonnades give the impression of a town in southern Europe. Around the European settlement the natives have made their villages. The surrounding country is low and marshy, covered with rice-fields and kampongs. The mountains, with the Peak of Bonthain in the distance, afford a fine spectacle, especially in the evening, when they are not covered by the fogs that rise from the plains. Beautiful sunsets are to be seen every night from the Harbourmaster's landing-stage.

The city of Macassar is administered by a Municipal Council with a Burgomaster as president. The Council has 17 members (10 of European origin, 5 Natives of Macas- sar, and 2 Chinese). Technical affairs, grounds and the public sanitary service are managed, under the supervision of the Municipal Council, by an Engineer Director of Municipal public works (Ingenieur-Directeur Gemeentewerken). The municipal gas plant is managed by a Director (Directeur der Gemeente-Gasfabriek) under the supervision of the Gasworks Committee, nominated by the Municipal Council. The electric lighting plant is in the hands of the Ned. Indische Gas-Maatschappy.

The harbour (Government property) has been constructed at a cost of about twelve million guilders (£1,300,000) and is administered by a Harbour Board (Commissie van Bijstand) with the Engineer Harbour-Director (Directeur der Haven) as President, under the supervision of the Department of Public Works at Batavia. Marine and shipping affairs are managed in collaboration with the Harbourmaster and pilots by an administration named "Haven beheer," (i.e., Harbour-management).