THE MALAY STATES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 18 November 1927, Page 9

THE MALAY STATES

EX-NEW ZEALANDER’S VIEWS INTERVIEW WITH MB T. TOSSWILL. It will be remembered that two or three yeurs ago there was published in the “Tribune” an interesting pen-picture of a journey to the Malay Peninsular. It was by Air T. Tosswill son of Dr. and Mrs Tosswili, of this’ town, who was then on his way to tak e up his residence on the Peninsula. Mr Tosswill is now enjoying a return visit to the town where the days of his boyhood were spent. Interviewed, Mr 'losswill, who is at present resident with his wife in the Grand Hotel, had many interesting facts to disclose regarding the Malay Feninsula, where since leaving New Zealand he has been engaged in the practice of law. He explained what is a littleknown fact to the general run of people, that the Malay Reninspla is not a single entity so far as government is concerned, but is tripartite. There is, first of a'll, the British colony, comprising Singapore, Malacca, Penang, Port 'Wellesley and the district known as the Din Diugs. Secondly, there are the Federated Malay States as such consisting of a federation of four 'states, namely Perak, Patongi, Selangor and Negri Sembilau. These together constitute a British Protectorate, with an English High Commissioner in charge. Thirdly, there are the unfederated States of Johore, Kedah, Trenngana and Kelantan. These three are generally composed, or regarded as belonging to one unity, whereas they are areas of distinctly different types. The climate in the Peninsula is the same all the year round. There is no marked wet or dry season, as in India, for example. As a rule, the conditions exhibit a moist, heat, with the temperature varying from about 84 to 90 degress. Th e nights are generally cool. Tin and rubber are the main sources of wealth, and most of the natives are engaged in one branch or another of those industries. Mr Tosswill, who is in this country ou an eight month’s fiurlough, said that his work lies in Kuola Lumper where the Torrance system of laud registration, just as we have it in this country, is in vogue. Most of the other law is based upon the Indian system, although all law in the Peninsula is codified. The population is mixed, Chinese easily predominating. All types of Indians are to be seen. The common lauguage is Malayan, which somewhat resembles Maori in that it is soft and musical. It may be distinguished from Maori, perhaps, in that it is easy to learn. English is the language of the courts, excepting the Magistrates’ Court, where a knowledge of the Malay tongue is indispensable. The Federated Malay States are run by English Civil Servants the whole way through. Both Mr and Mrs Tosswill confessed to feeling the cold in New Zealand after their lengthy stay in Malaya.