— xxiii — ^ 



questioning the absolute right o£ Government on this point, they 

 consider themselves as possessing in equity a full and inviolate 

 title to their grounds, inasmuch as the land has been sold to, and 

 handed over during a series of years to various individuals without 

 any mention being made of such inherent reservation affecting 

 their title. On being required to produce their title deeds and 

 grants, the present landed proprietors can only show Bills of Sale. 

 They state that all sales or transfers of land were made in the 

 Court of Justice, which body detained all previous papers and 

 deeds on delivering up the last Bill of Sale or Transfer, and that 

 the Court did not intimate to them the reservation above, to which 

 it was their duty to do, if such a right be recognised on the part 

 of Government. 



The proprietors acknowledge that they consider themselves 

 bound, on the requisition of Government, to keep in repair all es- 

 tablished bridges and roads running through the grounds, and to 

 clean the banks and body of the river bordering on their estates 

 from nuisances. But that all new roads are to be constructed at 

 the expense of Government, who can carry such roads through any 

 part of an estate, after intimating their intention to the immediate 

 proprietors of the soil. 



The proprietors acknowledge also, that in cases of emergency (if 

 any such should occur), they are bound to provide for the peace of 

 their respective estates by embodying a police from among their 

 tenants. 



2. — Between the landed proprietors and the Penghulus. 



The appointment of Penghulus is not obligatory, but is left to 

 the freewill of the proprietor, being solely for his own convenience. 

 On small estates there may be no intermediate officer. On estates 

 somewhat larger, but possessing a paucity of tenants, there may 

 be a mata-mata, who, under a more modest designation, is de facto a 

 Penghulu, both in power and privilege. On estates possessing 15 

 or 20 houses, there is usually a Penghulu appointed. On exten- 

 sive estates, there are several Penghulus, one being generally ap- 

 pointed for each respective quarter of an estate, which may incor- 

 porate parcels of ground of different names. 



The Penghulu and Mata-mata are exempted from any tax or 

 assessment on their property, and are supposed to settle all disputes 

 of minor importance subsisting among the tenants. But this is by 

 simple compromise, as they possess no judicial powers. They pay 

 regard to the tranquillity of the estate, and are the medium of 

 communication between the landed proprietors and the tenants. 



