Page:Sarawak Gazette 4 January 1907 Issue No 492.pdf/14

14 the Rejang, so that it was necessary to give them a free passage and food to their own country.

Three Government boats (bong) were sent up to Lubok Antu on November 1st with twelve prisoners, in addition to the relief guard, in order that some cattle might be brought down to Sinnggang. The boats with six head of cattle returned on the 4th.

Mr. Parnell left Simanggang to return to Kuching after completing his Audit on November 2nd, but was unable to get away from Lingga ns the s. s. Alice Lorraine was delayed in coming until November 11th.

The Pengkalan Marup murder case was referred to His Highness The Rajah Muda with certain recommendations on the part of those who were engaged in hearing it.

On the 6th two Saratok Malays were brought over from Saratok, Kalaka, where they were arrested for the murder and robbery of the Chinese trader Kang Ah Chin. This murder is known as the S. Sedio (Saratok) murder. The trial is proceeding.

A Skarang Dyak woman committed suicide by strangling banging) herself in the house with a noose of bark (pua). It is said that she had for some time been suffering in health; she also had quarrelled with her daughter in whose empty room she committed the rash act.

On the 9th, whilst the surface of the treacherous B. Lupar river was guite calm and at about this. ebb, a boat containing nine Dyaks put off near S, Bijat to cross to the other side and about half way over a sudden squall knocked up an unusually bad succession of lelangan (small broken waves) which soon swamped the boat and threw the ocenpants into the water, drowning one woman; Grugu, son-in-law of the late Sari (who was the son of "Orang Kaya" Gasing of Simanggang-well-known in the early sixties succeeded in rescuing the rest of the party.

The Pusa Clerk reports two deaths from drowning in the Suribas, both were Malay women, and both accidents are really to be attributed to the boats Incking sufficient free board.

The Simanggang Malays kept their Hari Raya Feast on the 19th. There was the usual concourse of people at Fort Alice after the salute of 14 guns had been fired. From November 13th to 19th one bull and five bullocks from the Government herd at Lubok Antu were sold to the Malays of Lingga, Gran and Stero, and Simanggang; these beasts were not large and averaged about $26 a head.

On the 21st Mr. Baring-Gould left for the Saribas and Kalaka. He took the route up the Rembas river to Debak in order to examine the planting work said to have been done by Mohanat laki Jelinh at Tg. Tai-upon which I will report to Your Highness later on. He then went overland to the Melupar (a branch of the Krian) and on to Saratok where he has instructions to examine several witnesses in connection with the Sedio murder case.

The prisoners (averaging 32) were engaged chiefly on the new ditches, and on entting lalang grass in the Palm oil Plantations; the weather was fairly dry throughout the month.

I have nothing further to report to Your Highness for November.

Crops gathered during the month were 30 piculs parchment and 243 lbs made tea.

During the month 15 piculs clean coffee and 870 lbs tea were despatched to the Borneo Company Limited.

Coolies have been employed as usual in gathering crops, clearing out drains, repairing roads und weeding.

Coolies have been paid for October on the 2nd instant by Mr. Grove as usual.

The Arrack and Gambling Farms for 1907 for the Limbang. Brooketon and Lawas districts were sold on the 1st of the month with the following result—

Limbang, $240 per month, an increase of $90. per month; Brooketon $400 per month a decrease of $40 per month; Lawas, $190 per month, a decrease of $10 per month; as regards the Lawas farm there is in reality an increase as, the tender for 1907 is only for the Arrack and Gambling as above stated, whereas the present one included the Opium Farm for the district and for which three farms $200 was given; this will give some idea of what a profit the present farmer must have made on his opium when others can afford to give only $10 less for the other As the Opium Farm for Lawas will next two farms year be included in that of the whole territory, he now obtains it for nothing, to the loss of the station.

Very much higher tenders than the above could Hai" had been included; owing, however, to Bruneis have been received if the lottery known as "Wah being quite unable to restrain themselves over putting money into this lottery and its consequently Sleading to theft, swindling and such like crimes, I deemed it adviseable not to include it in this agreement.

In the Court, amongst others was one case of a dispute as regards division of property by the heirs of Haji Suleiman of Ulak. In this the wife of deceased was accused of retaining a large portion of the cash, said to be six hundred dollars; the existence of the amount could not however be proved, although two hundred and fifty dollars were accounted for it finally transpired in the case that Orang Kaya Binjai, who had the authority to divide the estate, had allowed one Marali to take fifty dollars of the money before the proper division was made, and both were fined by the Court; a final order was made that all the money, two hundred and fifty dollars, was to be handed over together with all the other goods to the Native Court where it will be divided.

Two Chinese were fined fifty dollars each for remaining in Bisaya houses after the expiration of the Government order to that effect.

On the 12th Mr. Ward went up the Labai to visit the Dyak houses and look into matters requiring attention.

On the 9th I left for Trusan, returning on the 16th, and on the 22nd went to Lawas returning again on the 27th, and on the 30th left for Brooketon.

The Trade Returns for the month are as follows.

The Rainfall for the month was 9.04 inches which fell on seventeen days, 2.44 inches being the heaviest fall in any twenty-four hours.