Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/286

 164 THE BRITISH EMPIRE: — THE STRAITS SETTLEMENTS

Justice and Crime.

The law in force is contained in local ordinances and in such English and Indian Acts and Orders in Council as are applicable to the colony. The Indian Penal Code, with slight alterations, has been adopted, and there is a Civil Procedure Code based on the English Judicature Acts. There is a Supreme Court which holds assizes at Singapore and Penang every two months, and quarterly at Malacca, civil sittings monthly at Singapore and Penang, and once a quarter at Malacca.

There are, besides, district courts, police courts and marine magistrates' courts. Convictions before the Superior Courts in 1911 were 619 ; before the other courts 34,128. Police force 2,544 in 1911, of whom 120 were Europeans. Criminal prisoners admitted to the gaols in 1911, 4,353.

Finance.

Public revenue and expenditure for six years (1 dollar = 25. Ad.) : —

Years

Eeveiuxe

Expenditure

Years

]

1909 1910 1911

Revenue

Expenditure

1006 1907 1908

£ 1,128,724 1,169,350 1,046,885

£ 1.027,105 1,108,297 1,147,723

£ 1,026,083 1,089,238 1.331,076

£

996,652

878,762

1,059,961

The estimated revenue for 1912 was 1,128,620/. The leading items of revenue for 1911 were — licences, excise and internal revenue not otherwise classified, 1,005,941L ; posts and telegraphs, 73,354/.; fees of court or office, l^ayments for specific services, and reimbursements in aid, 64,124/.; rents of government property, 57,951/. ; government railway, 35,867/..; and of expenditure— salaiies and other charges, 555,046/. ; military expenditure, 221,861/.; charge on account of the public debt, 94,147/.; public works, extraordinary, 63,191/.; public works, recurrent, 44,399/. ; pensions, 49,463/.

The total assets of the colony, January 1, 1912, amounted to 1,156,017/., and liabilities 308,650/. The debt amounts to 7,943,452/. borrowed for public Avorks.

Defence, Production, and Industry.

The harbour and roadstead of Singapore are defended seaM^ards by forts armed with heavy and medium guns.

The garrison in Singapore is composed of the following regular troops — 2 companies of Royal Garrison Artillery, 1 company of Asiatic artillery, 1 comi>any of Royal Engineers, 1 battalion of British infantry, 1 battalion of native infantry, and a few details of R.A.M.C. and A.S.C, etc. The Singapore Volunteer Corps consists of 1 company Coast Defence Artillery, 1 Maxim company, 1 company Engineers (all Europeans), 1 company Chinese infantry, 1 company Malay infantry, 1 bearer company.

In Penang there is a Volunteer corps consisting of 2 companies of infantry (one company composed of Europeans and one company of mixed races).

There are Cadet corps and rifle associations in Singapore, Malacca, and Penang.

Twenty per cent, of the revenue of the Colony (exclusive of land sales) is contributed to defence.