Directory_and_Chronicle_1937 — Page 1684

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BRUNEI

Regulation, in accordance with the International Agreement, worked smoothly throughout the year. Permitted exports under the Scheme were 1,350 tons: actual exports totalled 1,343 tons, valued at $576,159, as against 1,946 tons in 1934, valued at $671,970.

Negotiations proceeded for the appointment to the State of an officer of the Rub- ber Research Institute of Malaya.

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Sago. Sago palms are indigenous to the State, and the product constitutes almost the staple food of the races of the interior, but what was once an important industry has fallen into comparative decay owing to low world prices. There was, however, a substantial increase in price in 1935, and 2,603 pikuls, valued at $6,177, were exported during the year, as against 1,895 pikuls, valued at $2,506, in 1934.

Rice. The local production of rice forms but a very small proportion of the con-- sumption, and Government has in recent years devoted much attention to the encour- agement of planting of new areas and better strains, and to the superseding of ancient and wasteful custom by modern and economic methods. The last, however, is an object requiring infinite patience: the people of the interior burn fresh areas of jungle each year, and scatter seed broadcast thereon, the resultant crops being miserable in the extreme. But the ultimately far greater crops to be derived from settled cultiva- tion on the lines adopted in the Peninsula are not to them sufficiently attractive to outweigh the greater labour involved. The statement, however, that their grand- children will not thank them for having laid waste their heritage, appears to have given the people to pause, and the new methods are making some slight headway against the old.

Production in 1935 was approximately the same as in 1934; some 600,000 gantangs being obtained from 5,000 planted acres. This represented one-sixth of the total con- sumption. 48,472 pikuls of rice, valued at $187,421, were imported in 1935, compared with 43,000 pikuls, valued at $131,800, in 1934.

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INDUSTRIES

Such industrial processes as are performed in Brunei relate almost exclusively to the treatment of the raw materials with the production of which the prosperity of the State is so intimately concerned. Apart from the oil and agricultural activities treated elsewhere, the only major industry in the State is the preparation of bark extract or cutch. During the year the Island Trading Company, which has been established in Brunei Town since 1900, exported 2,575 tons of cutch, valued at $177,910, compared with 2,356 tons valued at $162,861 in 1934. The majority of the bark used in the preparation of the extract now comes fzom outside the State, being stripped from the mangrove swamps around the coast of Borneo.

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The labour employed is almost exclusively native to Brunei, the factory having since its establishment represented the major source of salaried employment for the inhabitants of the river town.

There remain only native crafts, the principal products being silverware, silk and cotton "sarongs", and brassware.

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The Brunei' silversmiths are perhaps the most famous in the Malay Archipelago. In 1935 they exported goods to the value of $7,709, as compared with $5,139 in 1934.

COMMERCE

The aggregate value of trade in 1935 was $6,124,998 as against $5,278,089 in 1934 and $4,602,805 in 1933:

Imports. There was an increase in the total value of imports, from $1,887,339 in 1934 to $2,415,499 in 1935, almost entirely accounted for by greater imports of mis- cellaneous manufactured articles, and of coin and bullion....

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Exports. The total value of exports during the year amounted to $3,709,499 as against $3,390,750 in 1934. Only two commodities show an appreciably decreased export, plantation rubber, and forest produce.

Revenue. The total revenue derived from Customs dutles for the year amounted to $229,129 an increase of $43,856 over the 1934 figure of $185,273 import duties totalled $210,303 and export duties $18,826, the latter figure being inclusive of that portion of the rubber cess credited to general revenue.