Directory_and_Chronicle_1936 — Page 1393

PERAK

Perak is the most northerly of the Federated States on the west coast, touching, Province Wellesley on the north and Selangor on the south and having an area of 8,000 square miles. About 1850 the discovery of tin in Larut was followed by the immigration of Chinese in great numbers. Since the appointment of a British Resident in 1874, the record of the state has been one of remarkable progress.

The State is well watered, the Perak (with its tributaries, the Singor, the Temengor, the Rut, the Plus, the Kinta, Satang Padang, Bider and Sung- kai), being the most important rivers. Other rivers of importance are the Krian, the Kurau, and the Bernam (with its tributary, the Slim). The mountains on the east boundary which are part of the main range of the peninsula, rise to a height of over 7,000 feet.

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Sanatoria have been established on the Larut Hills and on Gunong Kledang, at heights varying from 3,300 to 4,500 feet Experimental gardens with English flowers and vegetables are to be found on the Larut Hills.

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The chief exports are tin and rubber. Coconuts and rice

Coconuts and rice are extensively grown. In the Krian district the Government has completed an extensive scheme for the irrigation of more than 74,102 acres of land, the larger pro- portion of which is already under cultivation for rice. A similar scheme is in course of development in the Sungei Manik area in Lower Perak District.

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Larut, Kinta, Batang Padang and Klian Intan are the chief mining districts. The District of Batang Padang lies between the Kinta Valley and the Selangor boundary, and contains a little gold and wolfram mixed with Fits tin.

The total mileage of completed roads in Perak is (a) 966 of metalled and (b) 69 of unmetalled cart roads, 950 miles of bridle,, and other paths.

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The British Resident has residences at Taiping, the headquarters of Gov- ernment, and at Ipoh, the chief commercial centre. The chief towns are Ipoh, Taiping, Kuala Kangsar, Kampar and Tapah. The chief port is Teluk Anson,

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Since the Anglo-Siamese treaty of 1909 the territory claimed by Perak for many years, and held by Patani since 1826, has been formally ceded to Perak, and the State now includes the whole water-shed of the river that. gives it its name. The new territory which was taken over in 1909 and in- corporated in the Upper Perak District, exceeds 1,000 square miles of area, It extends from Kedah, on the West to Legeh on the East, and contains the- tin mines of Klian Intan and much good stanniferous country. This terri- tory is well watered, and the rolling plains of the Kroh plateau, 1,000 feet above the sea, afford a healthy Government station. At Tasek on the Kedah border there is a small natural lake, At the time when the territory was taken over the population was about 3,000 of various nationalities.

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