A LONELY OUTPOST

Taranaki Daily News, 24 August 1931, Page 11

A LONELY OUTPOST

NEW ZEALANDER IN MALAY.

NO EUROPEANS IN DISTRICT.

The administration of a remote district of the Federated Malay States has Deen entrusted, during the past three vears to a New Zealander, Mr. E. V. G. Day. formerly of Timani, who has been visiting Auckland. As Assistant-Adviser for Besut, in the State of Trengganu, the most primitive and backward State of the Malay Peninsula, he was a solitary European in the midst of a large Malay population. It is only 19 or 12 years since debt slavery was abolished ■ in Trengganu. Under this system a debtor who owed, sav, five dollars, pledged himself or hie’ children to the. creditor, for whom he and his family worked.until the debt was paid off. In the majority of eases the system amounted to life slavery. One of the most barbarous forms of imprisonment in the world was only abolished in this part of Malaya 17 years ago. Offenders against the law were herded like animals close together in cages and were not released until they died. No food W’as supplied to them by the Malay authorities, life being maintained only by the pitiful efforts of their relatives, who fed. the prisoners until death mercifully overtook them. These and other cruel customs were gradually abolished through the influence of Britain. .. -.

The Besut territory, which is a British protectorate, is covered with heavy jungle and is unroaded, transport being accomplished on foot with the aid of Malay carriers., Mr. Day stated yesterday that he was accustomed to travel 70 or 80 miles a week on foot in the course of his duties, which entailed a knowledge of European and Malayan law, the Malay language, surveying and engineering. His territory covers an area of 1500 square miles, in which he is the only European.. . “The Malayan is very easy to get on with,” said Mr. Day. “He may be indolent, but lie is very courteous. W® administer Mahommedan law, except where if is repugnant to tlie ideals of British law. At present', these people are going through exceptionally difficult times owing to the slump in the market for rubber and base metals. So hopeless is the outlook that 100,090 Indians were repatriated last,year. and 250,000 Chinese were either repatriated or went back to China of theit Own accord in the last two yeaj's. “In good times the Chinese takes the full wages duo to him, but in bad times he- is, content to work, for his keep. Tn inUny of tlie Chinese mines, which lack substantia] financial support, the men ar® working simply on tribute. Even in the best mines a man who earned'three dollars 50 cents a day a few years ago now receives only 50 cents a day, and even then the mine can only- just pay its wav.”

Life in such a place was lonely for a European, said Mr. Day, and in Besut there was not even a wireless station or a telegraph wire. Malay appeared to be a “dead spot” for wireless reception and it was not practicable to institute broadcasting or wireless telephony. Communication with the outside world. depended solely on a steamer from Singapore. “The work was very interesting,” said Mr. Day, “but I am glad my next duties will take me to Singapore,” Describing the heavy rains experienced during the season of the wet monsoon, Mr. Day said a rise of 30ft to 40ft in the Pahang River was a normal flood. He was at Kuala Lipis, in the centre of the peninsula, in 1026, when .the worst flood for 60 years destroyed 22,000 houses and drowned 16,000 head of cattle. The loss of life was officially estimated at 250; it .would have been much greater but for the fact that the Malay population was accustomed to river floods and to some extent was prepared. From De-, cember 20 to January 1 the rainfall averaged 9in a day and the Pahang River rose 05ft. At the height of the flood Mr. Day travelled 40 miles from Raub to Kuala Pipis on foot. By car the journey occupies hours; his travelling time on foot was 21 days. He employed a boat part of the way and walked and swam the reet, .on one occasion crossing a deep, flooded area by swinging hand over hand along telegraph wires. The Survey Department of the Federated Malay" States, probably the most efficient surveying service in the Empire, was staffed almost entirely by New Zealanders, Australians and South Africans, said Mr. Day. They were highly respected on account of their practical experience in their own countries and their knowledge of pioneering conditions.