834
NETHERLANDS : — EAST INDIES
Production and Industry.
The greater part of the soil of Java is claimed as Governuieiit property, aud it is principally in the residencies in the western part of Java that there are l">rivate estates, chiefly owned by Europeans and by Chinese. The bulk of the people are agricultural labourers. The Government or private landowners can enforce one day's gi'atuitous work out of seven, or more, from all the labourers on their estates ; in 1882 the greater part of these enforced services for the Government was abolished, in return for the payment of one guilder per head yearly. Great power is vested in the Resident aud his European and native officials to enforce a strict adherence to all the laws regulating labour.
The extent of the soil of Java and Madura regularly cultivated by the natives was, in 1896, 6,511,339 acres (If acre = 1 bahu). From 1892-96 the increase of various cultures was as follows, in acres : —
Year
Rice
Maize, Arachis,
Cotton, and various plants.
Sugar- cane
Tobacco
Indigo
Total
1892 1893 1894 1895 1896
4,851,554 4,756,227 5,064,107 5,126,400 4,828,642
3,621,751 3,660,923 3,807,216 3,574,637 3,595,226
167,980 212,017 211,561 923,254 213,349
231,045 237,014 237,014 177,038 258,930
47,805 53,128 54,229 60,231 54,252
8,931,325 8.913,341 9,373,127 9,162,259 8,950,399
Owing to the 'agrarian law' (1870), which has afforded opportunity to private energy for obtaining waste lands on hereditary lease (emphyteusis) for seventy-five years, private agriculture has greatly increased in recent years, as well in Java as in the Outposts. In 1896 were ceded to 711 Companies and Europeans, 814,427 acres ; to 47 Chinese, 30,746 acres ; to 6 natives, 3,031 acres — total, 848,204 acres. Since 1816 no land in Java has been alienated by the Government. The lands, now the property of Europeans, have an 2,069,733 acres, of Chinese, 639,999 acres, and of other foreign Orientals, extent of 34,856 acres.
In 1891 the Government ceased to cultivate sugar. The sugar is grown on lands hired from the natives, or on lands held on emphyteutic tenure from the Government, or on private properties. In 1891 the number of sugar estates was 211 ; in 1896, 198. The yield of sugar in six years has been as follows : —
Year
Tons !
Year Tons
Year
Tons
1892 1893
415,000 ' 483,000
1
1894 480,400
1895 550,508
1896 ' 1897 1
501,122 546,750
The
production of coffee in Dutch India in the years 1892-95
was, in lbs. : —
Year
Government Lands
Free Cultivation by natives
Lands on Em-
pliyteusis and
on Lease
Private Lands
Total
1892 1893 1894 1895 1896
101,323,066 17,265,733 52,043,252 48,333,858 42,164,666
24,386,666 9,467,866 15,671,148 13,564,994 10,663,066
46,094,133 19,365,866 00,840,919 48,559,186 58,309,333
2,956,133 1,754,800 3,277,181 3,765,239 4,928,000
174,759,998 47,854,265 131,832,500 114,223,277 116,065,065
