Sarawak Gazette 4 January 1907 Issue No 492/Monthly Reports
MONTHLY REPORTS.
MUKA.
October, 1906.
Court. — There have been fewer cases in the Police Court during the month, the Court of Requests however has been fairly busy.
Fines and fees amounted to $245.28.
Trade. — The export of raw sago amounted to 258 coyans as compared with 252 coyans for the corresponding month last year.
Of jelutong gutta 50 piculs were exported, and of gutta percha 3 piculs.
Twelve schooners arrived from Kuching and thirteen cleared.
P. W. D. — The prisoners (average 28.2) have been employed during the month on the usual upkeep of roads, and cleaning the cattle ground of enkudoc weed.
General. — The 9th, being the birthday of Her Highness The Ranee of Sarawak, was observed as a Court Holiday.
I returned from Oya on the 3rd by Government "barong," doing the journey in under four hours.
Having found "Tuah Kampong" Bakal of Judan so unsatisfactory, he has been dismissed: a meeting of the Judan people was held in the Fort and one M'tair appointed in his place.
On the evening of the 15th the usual salute of 7 guns was fired to usher in the Mohomedan fasting month.
On the 27th the p. s. Adeh arrived at 10 a. m. with mails for this station and Oya; she left again at 11.30 a. m.
Penghulu Sama arrived from up-river on the 29th and reported all quiet among his people.
During the greater part of the mouth the sea has been very rough, and a great deal of rain has fallen.
I have nothing further to report on this occasion.
November, 1906.
Court. — There have been the usual number of cases in both the Police Court and Court of Requests, the principal of which have been reported in my official diary for the current month.
Fines and fees amounted to $284.53.
Trade. — There have been no exports during the month, as, on account of high seas no schooners have been able to get away.
Three schooners arrived from Kuching and also the s. s. Sarawak.
P. W. D. — The prisoners (average 24.2) have been employed nearly the whole of the month in making a new section of road, alongside the Petanak river, which had been washed away. The Judan and P'tian bridges have been put in good order and the approaches cleared.
General. — On the 1st three schooners, in attempting to clear for Kuching, were driven on to the last sand spit by a sudden squall of wind: two of them were got off next day; the third, by name Kim Chin Eng, nakoda Haji Usin, becoming a total wreck.
At the same time a house in Kampong Lintong was blown over, and a child very nearly killed in the ruins.
A fire occurred at Kampong Tegar upriver on the 8th in which five houses were burnt down: this occurred between 3 and 4 a. m.; no lives were lost, but all the property was burnt; the fire originated in a kitchen.
The same day Penghulu Intin arrived from upriver and reported all quiet amongst his people.
Another severe gale of wind prevailed on the 7th, one of the small government boat sheds being blown down, also a coconut tree in the compound, and numerous attaps blown off the roof of the fort.
The 9th being the birthday of His Majesty King Edward VII was observed as a public holiday.
On Hari Raya, the 18th, the usual salute of 14 guns was fired.
The same day the s. s. Sarawak arrived.
On the 23rd a Government steamer, going west, was seen to pass quite close in shore; she went by without stopping.
P. C. Mohomat of Balanian arrived on the 29th and reported all well in that district.
The sea during the month has been very rough indeed and not a single mail has left for Kuching; there have also been great quantities of rain, at high tides the compound and paths being under water.
I have nothing further to report on this occasion.
W. J. M. SHAW,
Resident.
LUNDU.
October, 1906.
The Hon'ble the Resident of the First Division, accompanied by Dr. White-Hopkins and Mr. Stuart Cunynghame, arrived here at 1.30 p. m. on the 1st instant per p. s. Adeh, and returned again at daylight on the 3rd instant.
On the 2nd the Hon'ble Resident attended Court, when several matters of importance were brought before him.
I visited Simatan from the 20th to 23rd. I was obliged to return sooner than I had intended owing to the unsettled state of the weather. The neaptides coming on the approaches to the rivers were each day becoming more dangerous.
Nearly all the macodahs of the bandongs here have been fined for breach of Port Regulations. The falling off in the trade returns caused me to make very minute enquiries as to the reason of this.
I found that to some extent the decrease was due to nacodahs omitting to declare goods which they received after having taken out a "Port Clearance." The importation of tobacco showed a very marked deficit as compared with what it was several years back. This lead me to suppose that a great deal of smuggling had been going on. After close examination of the books and letters of the traders in this district I find that the import of tobacco has kept well up to the average. The mistake appears to be that the shippers in Kuching are in the habit of declaring tobacco as sundries. Although it is almost impossible to prevent a certain amount of smuggling in a district situated as close as this is to Dutch Territory, I am glad to be able to report that the smuggling here is practically nil and only goes on among those villages which are nearly on the border.
Draman's boat, which left for Kuching on the 20th instant, was wrecked off Sampadi mouth. The mail was fortunately saved, and no lives were lost.
The fines this month amounted to $216.64.
Per p. s. Adeh on the 1st instant arrived one pony for this station.
The prisoners have been employed the greater part of the month repairing some of the bridges.
The following are the trade returns for Lundu and Simatan.
| Exports. | Imports. | |
|---|---|---|
| Lundu | $ 5,789. | $2,089. |
| Simatan | 22,366. | 2,748. |
F. F. BOULT,
Assistant Resident.
UPPER SARAWAK, PAKU.
October and November 1906.
Planting. — Only one permit was issued in October and one in November, both for planting rubber at Busau Sebrang and Seniawan Sebrang respectively. In the latter case the planter, a Chinaman, has already got two or three thousand seeds planted out in nurseries and they seem to be doing well.
There is nothing favourable to report about pepper gardens.
Abang Amit has completed a map of the pepper gardens round Jambusan and Ayer Panas and is now mapping out those at Busau Sebrang and Musi.
Registration. — Sixty-seven deeds were registered in October and 73 in November. Stamps and fees amounting to $168.60 and $188.75 respectively.
Court account. — Fines and fees, October $526.50 and November $279. No cases of importance came before the Court. On 27th October a man was arrested at Seniawan for impersonating a detective. He was subsequently sentenced by Kuching Court to six months imprisonment.
On 8th November I went to Kuching returning on 12th.
The prisoners have been working as usual on Seniawan Road and have also cleared the telephone lines to Busau and Seniawan, besides weeding Jambusan and Jambusan Tunnel Roads. On the 8th November two of them (in irons) escaped while working on Seniawan Telephone line, the man in charge showed even more than the usual stupidity.
Slight repairs have been done to police dapor, bungalow and writer's house, and cowshed has been too large for the small herd here and it would be a re-roofed with leaf attaps. The cowshed is much too large for the small herd here and it would be a good thing later on to pull it down and rebuild it much smaller with billian roof. The leaf attaps to be got here are very bad, they are made by the Dyaks from sago leaves, but the leaves are so young that they barely last a year.
Antimony is still being worked with great vigour. In November the record quantity of over 150 tons was received at Busau, probably the Malays put on an extra spurt on account of Hari Raya. Paku Bazaar, which during the pepper boom became comparatively deserted, is now once more expanding and several new houses have been built by antimony workers. Shops in Busau Bazaar are also in much demand at a rent of $15 per month, though, being only plank and leaf attap buildings, they cannot cost much more than $200 to build. This is partly due to the amount of ready money circulated by the large number of antimony workers there, and partly to the fact that there is no room for new shops at Busau, except behind the existing Bazaar, where they would get little business and consequently no one cares to build there. The same kind of shops at Seniawan only rent at from $3 to $6 per month though they are much better built.
H. R. A. DAY,
Resident.
SADONG.
October and November 1906.
Court. — During October there were very few cases of any kind either in the Police Court or Court of Requests. During November there were two cases
of cutting and wounding from the Colliery, parangs being used and severe cuts inflicted in both cases, while at the wharf one of the loading coolies, while sitting in the Mandor's house, drew a parang and cut Ah Noo the Mandor over the head, laying it open for 5 inches on the right side. In all 3 cases the assailants were caught and sentenced to various terms of hard labour, in the last case to three years. Pangarah Rimpu of Mupub, ulu Sadong, was charged with swindling the Government in respect of tax. It was found that 18 men of his Kampong had not been paying Tax. In three cases the Pangarah had reported the men "dead," two of them having "died" some ten years ago, consequently paying no tax during that time. The Pangarah was fined $300. The 18 men were brought down to Simunjan and all arrears of tax paid in full at once, as was the Pangarah's fine, before they were allowed to return.
Public Works. — The water supply is now complete and an excellent supply of good drinking water available for the use of the Bazaar and Government people. The water has been brought from the mountain 412 miles away by a pipe line leading to two stand pipes, one of which is situated in the centre of the Bazaar and the other close to the Government buildings. Considerable trouble was experienced laying the pipes as they are not of good quality and numbers are defective. Unfortunately, when the water was turned on defects which could not have otherwise been detected became apparent. The pipes split at the welding in a dozen places — in some cases for 3 inches or more — and clamps had to be fitted to render them water tight, unscrewing such a length of pipe being out of the question. Messrs. Howarth Erskine — a Singapore Firm — supplied the pipes, and the supplying of such defective tubes has caused considerable delay and extra labour, and extra and otherwise unnecessary expense has been incurred in consequence. However, thanks to the promptness of the Manager, Mr. Naysmith, in supplying the necessary clamps, etc., Simunjan is now in possession of a supply of excellent water which is a great boon and highly appreciated.
Good progress has been made with the new wharf, part of which is now nearing completion and can be used for loading or discharging. It is 127 feet from the bank to the end, where the water has a depth of 312 fathoms at low tide, and the completed frontage 82 feet long. The line of rail has been brought round to the wharf and an immense amount of embankment work has had to be done. The new sheds are now being erected and should be in use this year.
The centre of the old wharf was swept away late in November by the strong tide and, though it has been temporarily repaired, is exceedingly unsafe. Coal is now being stacked over close to the new wharf.
The stacks of coal have been steadily growing and the gronnd between the old shed and new wharf is covered with coal, which appears to be of good quality and is nearly all large, and has been exceptionally free from dirt and stone.
| Tons cart. | Tons cart. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Received at wharf, Oct. | 2,300. 10. | Shipped during Oct. | 845. 17. |
| Received at„wharf„Nov. | 1,798. 16. | Shipped„during„Nov. | 724. 8. |
| Stock at wharf at end of Oct. | 1,848. 11. | Stock at wharf at end of Nov. | 2,917. 19. |
The output during November decreased owing to large quantities of stone having been sent by each train for filling the sites of the new sheds, the amount of coal sent to the wharf of course decreasing by so many trucks. There was trouble with water in No. 5 Mines which produced very little for many days, the water completely filling the bottom of the slope.
The Opium Farmer has built a fine shop with a frontage on the new Bazaar Road and Ah Song will have a similar shop under construction in a few weeks.
Medical. — An accident occurred on the railway in October, a Dyak girl of Senangih, named Lanan, in trying to descend from a truck while in motion getting a number of toes cut off from both her feet by dropping on to the rail instead of the ground. A five ton truck went over both feet. She was at once attended to by the Hospital Dresser, who fortunately happened to be on the train, and was afterwards sent to Hospital, the Ven: Archdeacon Sharp kindly offering to take her in his boat.
The 3 men wounded by parangs are all doing well.
A number of beri-beri patients have been under treatment in the Hospital, several serious cases being sent to Kuching and one dying here. As usual, these cases come from the low lying coolie lines and the patients recover in hospital here if the case is discovered in time. The Malay population at the Colliery are free from this disease though they consume exactly the same quality rice, bought from the same shops and taken from the same sacks as those from which the coolies obtain their rice. But the coolies consume vegetables salted (?) in jars, the smell from which is abominable, and eat all manner of doubtfully cured foods, while the Malays live on fresh vegetables and fish and their dwellings are in all cases raised some feet above the ground, while the beri-beri cases almost invariably come from the lines which have no floors but the bare and damp earth and have no drainage. Beri-beri cases are almost unknown at No. 8 lines which are built well above the ground and are fairly well drained, being situated on the slope of the hill. It remains to be seen what effect the completion of the drainage scheme now in hand at the Colliery, combined with the moving of the coolies into the new houses which are nearing completion and the destruction of the old beri-beri inspected lines, will have on the number of cases of this disease at the Mines.
General. — During October the Ven: Archdeacon Sharp paid a visit to the Station for the purpose of marrying two couples at the Colliery. The double ceremony took place in the Manager's Bungalow on the morning of the 12th, the Ven: Archdeacon leaving for Kuching that same evening.
The s. s. Sarawak arrived on the 7th November. Passenger, Mr. J. R. Ballingal. She left for Bintulu on the 8th.
Mr. Ballingal has unfortunately had to postpone the opening of a rubber plantation here owing to ill health. He returned to Kuching on November 11th.
The s. s. Alice Lorraine came in on the 20th with a large lighter in tow. The lighter went alongside the new wharf next day and shipped eight 42' logs of heavy timber and fourteen 18' logs for Kuching P. W. D. The steamer could not load much coal owing to the old wharf having given way the day before and not having been repaired. She sailed on the morning of the 22nd towing the lighter. She came in again on the 24th and took a cargo of coal for Labuan, sailing next day at daylight.
During November the Colliery ran out of oil owing to the non-arrival of stores by schooner. It would be better if a steamer could bring in stores during the N. E. Monsoon when schooners—very few of which are now running—cannot be depended upon. A week of rough weather might delay the transit of stores and stop all work at the Mines.
The new mouth of the Simunjan is widening at a great pace and the old mouth is rapidly silting up with the rest of the river up past the Kampong where it is now possible to walk across at low water. Last year the water was fathoms deep there at that state of the tide. The bank of the Sadong River, I am glad to say, is not falling away at such a rate now that the Simunjan River has formed a new mouth, the current flowing out in the middle of the stream instead of rushing past the bank and into the old mouth of the Simunjan.
One exceptionally high tide on Hari Raya did considerable damage to roads and grounds and completely covered the old wharf, part of which carried away. The grounds were in a terrible mess after the water had receded, piles of driftwood being left all over the grass.
The weather has been very uncertain; the days exceedingly hot, with heavy rain after midday and often at night.
Obituary. — I regret to report the death of Ah Kam which took place in Kuching on the night of November 18th. He was the most influential trader in the District, having resided here for very many years. His death is keenly felt by both Natives and Chinese, with all of whom he was on the best of terms. Ah Kam was a naturalised Sarawak subject and always evinced the greatest interest in anything concerning the welfare of the District.
DONALD A. OWEN,
Resident 2nd Class.
UPPER SARAWAK. BAU.
November, 1906.
Agreements. — 109 have been made out during the month. Stamp duties and fees amounted to $226.13.
Court. — Fines and fees amounted to $182.75.
Mr. Boult arrived here on the 6th instant having walked over via Stungkor; he returned on the 8th, leaving Bidi at 7.40 a. m. he arrived at Lundu fort at 4.20 the next afternoon.
Dr. Wellington passed through on the 6th on his way to Bidi and returned from there to Paku; he came up again on the 20th and spent the night at Paku, from whence he visited Puak; the Government pony, from here, was lent to him for the journey.
A gardener, called Hiew Man, was found dead in his house at Singghi; as the body had a few marks on it, it was taken to Busau where Dr. Wellington viewed it, giving it as his opinion that death was due to natural causes.
Six Malay carpenters arrived on the 7th instant to do repairs required to Court House roof and floor; these men went down to Kuching to spend Hari Raya but returned again on the 19th.
I left for Kuching on the 8th returning on the 13th.
Mr. Crocker went to Kuching on the 16th to relieve the Resident 2nd Class; he returned here on the 29th instant.
I regret to have to report that trade is very bad in this district consequent upon the continual illicit sale of pepper from the gardens: this pepper should be brought in to the traders who have advanced provisions during the year on it from the many cases which have been before me I should estimate that quite one third of the pepper crop has been illicitly sold; the gardeners, of course, abscond after selling the pepper and the garden is left to be again provisioned by the trader (if he is not already bankrupt) or to go out of cultivation, unless some very strict regulations are made us to the buying and selling of pepper before next crop is ripe. The majority of gardens will have to be closed as there will be no further provisions forthcoming.
E. R. STILWELL,
Resident.
SIMANGGANG.
November, 1906.
The chief event of the month is the meeting of the Ula Ai rebels Ngumbang, Bantin, Ugil and their followers—some thirty men—with Mr. O. Lang at Guntor's house, S. Rakut, on November 19th.
Mr. O. Lang wrote me on November 21st that Gantor brought a message stating that Ngumbang, etc; were at Rakut and wished to meet the Native Officer Abang Haji Bua Hassan if he would come up to see them. As the Abang Haji was at Simanggang for the Hari Raya festivities, Mr. O. Lang himself went up with Pensioner Dagang, Corporal Latep, and two L. Antu Fortmen. The meeting took place in Guntor's house. The rebels stated that they wished to "come in;" "they were tired of taking heads, and of being enemies of the Government, and moreover, their supplies were failing them."
They sent tokens that they were in earnest, and desired to meet me and Mr. Baring-Gould later on.
It was further stated that if these people "came in," "all the Rejang Dyaks would come in too." I have asked for an explanation of the last sentence and am informed that by the Rejang Dyaks" is meant those Kanowit (ulu) people who are in the ulu B. Lupar, or else-where, still in arms.
I have sent word, through Mr. Lang, that I shall be at L. Antu on December 18th with Mr. Baring-Gould, when I shall be prepared to meet them and hear what they have to say. Mr. Lang delivered my message and they have left for their homes with memoranda (temuku tali)* of how many days must elapse before the meeting.
On November 22nd Mr. Lang sent me a despatch stating that two Dyaks from Kantu—they were formerly Sarawak subjects—had been sent over from the other side with the alarming news that Apai Beti and other tuai were in the Netherlands India territory with a force of two thousand five hundred men with which they intended to attack Jawi's house in ulu Kumpang (Sarawak); and, further, that Apai Beti had asked for Ngumbang's assistance but that he had refused to assist!
As Ngumbang, Bantin, etc; were still at a hut near Gantor's house and in communication with Mr. Lang about "coming in" and had said nothing about a force of Ulu Ai being out. I could not credit the story from the other side—it would have been too great an act of treachery even for Ngumbang—I therefore informed Mr Lang that I considered the news to be quite false, but that he would be right to warn the Kumpang people to be on the alert.
I may say that I am indignant at the constant succession of false reports about large armies of the rebels being cut to attack various places in Sarawak territory. These stories have now been going on for months and no attacks have been made since the rebels were repulsed on May 16th at P. Sumpit's hut in Lower Lemanak. There is such a thing as calling "Wolf, Wolf" too often, and wearing people out. There is also a penalty, well-known to Dyaks, for spreading what are called "False Reports."
Towards the end of November a party of twelve Dyaks were sent here by the Controleur of Smitan, they having been expelled from the Upper Kapuas by order.
I presume these Dyaks (as is their custom) have been exploiting the Upper Kapuas Natives and that it became necessary to clear them out and forbid Dyaks to live there. However, these Dyaks do not appear to have eventually benefited themselves to any extent as there were not two dollars among the party, and some had been (they said) nearly twenty years in the Upper Kapuas! Only two of these men belong to the 2nd Division, the rest were all from 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 34 ths. 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 occupants 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 Jeliah at Tg. Tui―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 cutting 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.
D. J. S. BAILEY,
Resident.
MATANG ESTATE.
November, 1906.
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 and weeding.
Coolies have been paid for October on the 2nd instant by Mr. Grove as usual.
J. M. GOMEZ,
Manager.
LIMBANG.
November.
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; 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 two farms. As the Opium Farm for Lawas will next 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 have been received if the lottery known as "Wah Hai" had been included; owing, however, to Bruneis being quite unable to restrain themselves over putting money into this lottery and its consequently leading 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 Lubai 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.
| Coasting Imports | $3,282 | Exports | $6,851 |
| Foreign Imports„ | 5,167 | Exports„ | 2,855 |
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.
O. F. RICKETTS,
Resident.
BINTULU.
November, 1906.
Court. — There have been a good many cases before the Debt Court, mostly for small sums. In Police Court there have been few cases.
Sandi and Garim were sentenced to six months imprisonment for theft of jelutong. Rinkoi 3 months for breach of contract.
There being small-pox at Tatau, that river was quarantined. On the 3rd three men were fined $5 each for coming in from Tatan against orders.
The Penghulus from up-river report all quiet. A Dyak named Rikan, who came in from Baram on the 20th, was fined $12 for making false statements to the Resident there, in that I had granted him permission to take to Baram one Layam and family.
The prisoners have been employed during the month in repairing bridges and in building a new one across the stream in front of the fort, and in repairing the Government boats.
The weather has been wet but the sea fairly smooth.
The 18th being Rayah a large number of people came up to pay respects; they seemed anxious to have the usual regatta, etc. at the New Year, so a meeting to consult about it was arranged.
There is a large amount of jelutong and rattans in the bazaar.
Imports amounted to $3,888 and Exports to $2,280.
The s. s. Sarawak called in on the 8th.
E. A. W. COX,
Resident