THE MALAY STATES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1836, 17 August 1906, Page 3

THE MALAY STATES.

THE NEW HOME OF MR MOUAT

The fact of a well-known townsman end Government servant like Mr Mount leaving favored Gisborne for the Federated Malay States has aroused a gcol dial of interest as to that locality, and to obtain farther particulars than can beg’eanod from books of reference, a representative of the Times seized the opportunity of a chat with a relative of Mr E E P, Clare, the Malay States official who rcc ntly visited Gisborne on holiday have. All the Malay S:ates (out representative was informed) are now federated under a British protectorate, excepting that u- chr the Sultan of Johore, the paten 1 afo who a year or so ago visited Australia (rod commanded special attention by the j»wsla that shone forth from hie beautiful teeth. Mr Mouat wid bs accompanied by Mr Hazard. Both are married men, and will be chiifly occupied with trig wok, while two oitnr men going from New Z aland will be engaged in revenue work, which corresponds with our Burvey work of cat ting up land for scttlemcnr, principally laying off mining areas. The pay averages about a fourth bo-ter ihau in .Now Z:ahnd, aod the coat of living is about the same, though a suit of daffies costs about £2 less than in Auckland. Nearly the whole of the States are covered with deuso jnnglo, but there are hundreds of miles of beautiful roads, which makes it a model place for motor cars and bicycles, of which there are a great many in use. Although the reads might well bo ooyiod by the people in this district, our County Council could do as well without any great credit to itself under similar circumstances. There is any amount of cheap material and cheap native labor available. First there is a foot of spalding put on ; then a foot of metal broken to a 2 inch ring, all packed together by hand ; and then on top of that again there is a top dressing of fine, broken metal—the whole being welded with a steam roller. As the roads are lined on either side with dense jungle the scenic conditions arc admirable.. One County Council also lacks another advantage possessed by the States. Instead of worrying about an overdraft they have a surplus every year, the revenue being much more than required for expenditure, and the surplus is loaned out at interest to adjoining States. “I am told,” added tho gentleman, “ that seventy .five per cent of the world’s output of tin comes from the States, so with the cheap labor available and good prices for tin, you can understand what a splendid source of wealth that must be.” “ Are there many Europeans compared to the colored population ? ” i. No ; it is no p aeo for Europeans, acepiirg for piofossiooal man, mdrnry labor boiDg so cheap. The meat wealthy pcoplo are tbo Chinese merchant?. At Ipob, where Mr E. E. P. Clare has a permrreot cffiaial appointment, thoro are only about one hundred Europeans to 20,000 nativre Singapore contains nearly every Dat’onality under the sun, and is altogether a Btrango mixture. ' Too most ourious p'aro I have ever been in,’is tho defeription of a traveler who recently visited Gisborne.” <i What does Mr Claro think of life in tboSta'63?” nHe likes it. Ho his boon there about sevon years, and can spook from a good txperienor. The climate is (quable, the changes of eummor and winter beiDg ucknown. Tbo average registration of the thermometer is BO degr.io?, but as it is a moist beot it is more op{ ressivo than a like registration would bo in dry climate. They have what is oallnd tho ‘ raioy season,’ but it lains a lit'lo nearly every day, generally about nocn. Tho working hours aro between 6 o,m, end neon, “But di not a good many whites hccome wrecks in health in the States V “Ye?, a number do; it is very necossery for a man not to let his constitution run down. Ono great trouble is the temptation to drink alcohol. It is essentially a climate in which anyone taking spirits should do so only in moderation ; but wbiiky and brandy are eo cheep there that a la' g: quaulity can bo cbt-ined at a vory small cost. The bert whisky or brandy can bo obtained for Is 9.1 a botllo Sometimes a visitor will ba sfou to purchase a bottle of spirit?, koock too head off, and toko a nip or two, and then throw tfce rest away not because the quality is not sufficiently good, but because the liquid is so cheap. A man to succro.d m the States requires to bo oi strictly temperate habit?.’’ “ As to malaria?” “Most now-comora got affected by malaria, but it gradually works out of tbo syatem” “Are these gontlomen ttkmg their families with thr-m ?" “ Mrs Mouat is to remain in Auckland for about three years. It is a very bad place for the rearing of childeui, and most of tbo Europeans there who have families send them to a cooler climate to bo educated. Tho climate in the B'.atsa causes young women to bosome pre» maturely old. A girl of thirteen gets #q

look like is woman of thirty act quickly, the growth bring like that of lictheuso p'liut?. A man duro not wear tho ordinary hat there, tho sun's rays striking vo: Pettily—it is only about four degree: off the equator. Ilo'm.'ts are most'y the hats worn.” ' What kind of necommodstion is pro viclccl for Europeans '!" ‘■The house? aro lino and largo. They hfivo no windows simply Venetian shuttrrs. Dancing i? carried on under less plea rant cmditions than m Gisborne. There tho gonthumu takes a sconnd dress suit with him fur a change; also three atarohod shirts, tho perspiration causing tho olotbiug to become limp so soon. Ono advantage is tint for general purposes one can dress to suit tho oh'ma'.f, which is no! suhjoct to the suddou and violent ohnngee as in Australia.” *■ What aro tho p pular outdoor sports'?" “They can in ono tospeot hoot oven

Gisborne's many lovers of the turf. Nearly

everyono owns racehorses and po'o ponies and belongs to all tho clubs, which of Bourse he'ps to make living expensive. The hotels there ate called ‘rest havsoa.’ All labor is done by the colored people, md is is usual to have about five servants in tho house. It does not coat much for their food, the staple of diet boiog rice, which, with tea aud coffee, is largely grown by poo.plo for their own consumption- All tho big warehouses and hanks nave one European at the head, ail the rest being unlives of I dia.” “ Are they good a"- o’orio d work “ Yes; they make excellent accountants and tellers, and woik for a very small sum

■it off .rs uo opportunity to a European

for clerioal work unless ho can got at the head of affairs. Lectors, engineers, aud surveyors do well there. A survey party generally consists of ono European cud twelve natives, ami the latter make

spier,did chidumoti, fcoing accurate and cartful. In tho survey cilice a lot of tho computers aro Indian untivos, and thoy tiro very good at the walk. Tho surveyors have very little mapping to do. They seed tha field-book to tho t flioo and nearly a’l the mappiug is dune there.”

11 What about v, id animals, seismic eruption-’, and cyclones ?” "P-, clocio di-turb iuoos do not affect

t' r:i; Me Clato toll tna ho hill not excsiiercjd an earthqu iko in seven years, though they hul them not fir away. Wild animals of all kinds abound in the juugle. At first a 1 new chum ’ carries a gurt around with him, but soon tires of that. Nearly all the animals, including tigers, run eff at tho approach of miu. Too most to bo drtaled is whit is called tho rogue e'cpha .t, the outcast from a herd, which erusboj through everything. Thera ate pi my of buffaloes there, and not long ego since one bailoi up a train.” ‘'Arc not tho natives mest unreliable workers •?’’

•’ They arc very good if treated might, aud they will do any thing for you, but soma pioplcmaka the sorry mistsk’. of buffeting them about. They want a firm hand and kindness.”

In regard to tho terms of Mr Mouat’s engagement, our representative was informed that it was for tbrso years, aud thou ha g ts on tho permanent staff, a pension being allowed in oaaa of retrenchment or illness. Ofiijiolt go! special eon -

cessions for staving at the'• mat houses,” Government cfiiei ds got six weeks’ leavo every year, apart from tho loDg holiday,

aad then generally visit tho Eanatoriums established by Government in the high country.