Page:Sarawak Gazette 4 January 1907 Issue No 492.pdf/2

2 The new Lux lights with which the town is now lighted are another great improvement which has given general satisfaction.

Telephone extensions have been made from Kuching to Seniawan and a duplicate line running to Paku instead of Buso, thus giving an alternate line to Paku and Ban. Poles are erected ready for the new line to Batu Kawa and as soon as the Landas is over that station will be connected with Kuching.

The Rubber Estates at Satap and Sigu have had 4,000 additional Para trees planted and most of them are doing well. The old rubber should soon be ready for tapping and thus give the Government some return for the outlay.

We learn that His Highness the Rajah has just granted a large concession of land at Sungei Tengah for the purpose of rubber planting to Messrs. The Borneo Company Limited.

The Cold Storage plant is in place and ready for operation, but the Commissioner of P. W. informs us that until a plentiful supply of water can be maintained he will not guarantee being able to keep it in continuous working during the dry weather. There should now soon be no difficulty about this as we are given to understand that Mr. Grove expects to get his Matang Water scheme completed by the end of March. The pipes are now laid from a point near the Upper Reservoir down to and across the river, and about 2 miles towards Matang.

With regard to affairs in the Interior the Rebel Dyaks have kept quiet for some time past and there are rumours of their "coming in," but up to time of writing nothing definite has come to hand.

In August His Highness the Rajah opened a New Club called the "Kuching Social Club" which has filled a long felt want.

We have unfortunately to record the deaths during the year of Mr. J. F. M. Bingley, Cadet in the Government Service: Hj. Bul Hassan, Datu Bandar of Sarawak; Hj. Mohommed Amin, Datu Imaum; and Hj. Usop, Datu Bandar of Sibu. H. H. the Sultan of Brunei also died on the 10th May, and Mr. B. Bettington who retired on pension two years ago died in November.

Messrs. C. W. Daubeny, G. P. Barlow and F. J. D. Cox all retired on pension during the year, and Messrs. W. R. T. Clement and H. La Chard joined the Service as Cadets; Mr. E. Parnell, the Treasury, as Assistant; Mr. N. McPhee was appointed Resident of Lower Rejang, and Dr. Bruce Low and Miss Hastic have been attached to the Medical Department.

His Excellency The Governor of the Straits Settlements has notified the Sarawak Government that it is his intention to shortly issue an order prohibiting the exportation of Straits dollars to all places except to Sarawak, British North Borneo and the Malay Peninsula, and whereas His Excellency has requested that this Government will assist by taking all possible steps to prevent the exportation of Straits dollars from Sarawak to China or elsewhere, it is hereby enacted:—

That from date of this Order the exportation of Straits ollars to any place outside Sarawak except to the Straits Settlements or British North Borneo is forbidden and any person disobeying this Order will be punished by fine or imprisonment.

Resident's Office, Kuching, Sarawak, 24th October, 1906.

following is to be added to the table of fares for hire of Jiurickshas, Order No. I of 26th February 1896.

If engaged by time For every hour .... 25 cents. For every additional hour .... 6 cents.

Resident's Office, Sarawak, 5th November 1906.

reference to Order No. XIII 1906, it is hereby notified that persons leaving Sarawak for any place to which the export of Straits dollars is prohibited may, on application to the Treasury, have Straits dollars changed for their equivalent value in Straits Settlements' notes, or otherwise as may be arranged.

The Treasury, 24th October, 1906.

creditors and other persons having any claims whatsoever against the Estates of the above named are hereby requested to send particulars thereof to the undersigned within