Directory_and_Chronicle_1941 — Page 1379

I

NETHERLANDS INDIES

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Diamonds are found in Borneo; gold and silver in Sumatra, Celebes, Borneo and Java; copper ores in Sumatra and Timor; iron ores in Celebes, Sumatra and Borneo; tin placers of great importance in Bangka, Billiton and Singkep, and small alluvial tin deposits in Sumatra and on some other islands; lead ores in Sumatra, Celebes. Borneo and Lombok; zinc ores in Java and Sumatra; lignites and coal of better quality in Borneo, Sumatra and Java, manganese ore of very pure quality in Java. Nickel ore is found in Celebes; platinum in Borneo; chrome ore in Celebes, Borneo, and Lesser Sunda isles; tung- sten in the tin islands; titaniferous magnetite sands in Java and other islands; cinnabar in Sumatra; antimony ores in Borneo and in other parts of the Archipelago, arsenic ores in Borneo; traces of molybdenite in Borneo and Sumatra; small quantities of bismuth in Borneo, Celebes and Sumatra. Iodine is produced from saline springs in Java; sulphur is produced from volcanic mud; phosphates are found in Java and in some other islands; magnesite in some islands of the eastern part of the Archipelago. Salt of excellent quality is made in Madoera and also on some other islands by solar evaporation of sea water. The production of mineral oil in Java, Sumatra, Borneo and Ceram is a very profitable one.

The possession of the soil by the natives is strongly protected by law. As a general rule the ground cannot be sold to foreigners, not even to Dutchmen, nor to their descendants who are born in the Netherlands Indies. The Government is authorized to dispose of uncultivated grounds and grant parts of them for a certain period to foreigners. REVENUE AND FINANCE

The revenue of the colony is derived from different taxes, viz., import and export duties, excise, ground taxes, personal tax, income tax, property tax, corporation profits tax, slaughter tax, licences, succession duties, stamp duties, duty on public sales, trans- fer and assignment duty, monopolies (opium, salt, pawn-shops), mines (tin and (coal), forests, railways, mining-and agricultural concessions.

The salt required for the Government monopoly is made in Madoera, where the people deliver it into the Government godowns at a fixed rate per hectolitre and to a smaller extent on Government's salt farms in Madoera and Grisee (residency Bodjonagoro) where the salt is produced under Government management.

The use of opium and the profits the Government derives from the régie system are declining.

The pawnshop-monopoly is gradually being extended all over the archipelago much to the benefit of the lower classes for which it functions as a banking-system granting the small credits of not less than 10 cents on the collateral of goods against moderate fixed rates of interest.

The tin mines of Bangka are exploited by the Government. Chinese labour is extensively used for working the tinplacers, also for transportation and melting the tin concentrate, and for various other purposes. Some of the placer-diggings are directly worked by the Government; others are operated by European or Chinese contractors under Government control. Electric power is supplied to all the main districts; the smaller districts are worked by steam,

The monetary system of Netherlands-India for which in accordance with that of the Netherlands the limping standard with free coinage of gold is adopted, consists of gold coins of the value of ten and five guilders, silver coins of two guilders and a half, of one guilder, and of half a guilder (these coins are the same as those in the Netherlands); besides silver coins of f.025, and f.010, bearing Malay and Javanese inscriptions; nickel coins of f.005, and copper coins of f.0025 (2 cent), f.001 (one cent), and f.0'005 (cent). The issue of bank-notes is a monopoly of the Java Bank. The convertibility of the bank-notes into Gold was suspended in 1914, since when the measure has not been revoked. At the same time payment in gold was suspended, but was restored again, on a limited basis only, in April 1925. Since September 1936, after the devaluation of the Guilder, the export of gold has been prohibited, except in very special cases and with the permiss- ion of the Java Bank.

EDUCATION

The educational system distinguishes two kinds of instruction: (I.) Instruction given in the Dutch language; (II.) Instruction given in a vernacular language. To the first category belong 723 (265 private) elementary schools, amongst which are 340