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marked periods of advancement in the development of the com- 

 munity. Hitherto most of the world outside and even those of 

 themselves had been content to regard this as a land where they 

 depended on the rich natural harvest of the earth which they gather 

 without cultivation. He did not think hitherto in the eyes of the 

 world or the merchants of the world that the products of the earth 

 had bulked very largely in an estimate of the wealth of the Malay 

 Peninsula, and whilst the natural harvest of tin, and jungle produce 

 was still very rich and plentiful, it was very gratifying and interest- 

 ing to find that while that was so, and appeared likely to be so 

 for a long time, our planters were turning themselves with energy 

 and resolution to the permanent cultivation of the soil. So 

 long as we were entirely dependent on the natural harvest of the 

 earth, we could never expect to have any really permanent and 

 abiding community in this part of the world, and he was sure that 

 when they found they were beginning to take themselves SQriously 

 as an agricultural community, they should find the world beginning 

 to look to them as a field of some of its most valuable products. 

 They could feel then they were laying the foundations of a legiti- 

 mate stability of a trade from which Penang and Singapore, the 

 gates of the Peninsula, must reap a great share. When they were 

 privileged to go round this Show they would find much to interest 

 them, and much to profit by. They would see the results of the 

 methods of the European planter, which had been brought to the 

 highest state of perfection possible at present, and they well know 

 the high value put upon the products of that work in Europe. 



But they would see something if possible more interesting, the 

 results of those native cultivations which had been going on from 

 time immemorial ; these included not only the exhibits of paddy and 

 other crops, but also models of the implements used in producing 

 those crops. And they w r ould also see numerous specimens of every 

 interesting native art and craft. It had always been a matter of 

 great regret that these native arts and crafts were to such an 

 extent a matter of history, and in spite of efforts made by some 

 energetic officers in different parts of the Peninsula, they were still 

 far from being in a healthy condition. He hoped the result of 

 this and previous exhibitions would be to give a great impetus in 

 that direction. When the native artisan discovered there was a 

 really good and profitable market for what he produces it would do 

 much to encourage the production of those beautiful specimens of 

 Malay silver and weaving, which were now too much things of the 

 past. He thought in that way the people of Singapore could do 

 much to encourage those officers who had been so unselfishly 

 trying to develop these arts. And if it resulted in giving such a 

 stimulus and revival, those officers would feel that they have 

 reaped a very rich reward. The people of Singapore would recog- 

 nize the debt they owed to the splendid work which has produced 

 the result before them, and the generous co-operation which had 

 been offered to them in the matter not only by the sister Settle- 

 ments, but by the F. M. S. also. They had here he believed 

 something like 350 Penghulus who had come in charge of various 

 exhibits, some of them from very long distances right away on 

 the northern borders of Perak, and it would be a great stimulus 



