in some years, owing to drought 
The Chinese live almost entirely 
Production 15. The four District Officers — to whom I ani indebted for the 
tiono°f nS ‘ UmP ' trou ^ e they have taken in furnishing reports on this subject — have 
by Malays, had much difficulty in arriving at accurate statistics as to the pro- 
duction and consumption of rice by the Malay population ; but 
from the particulars which they have furnished, it may be estimated 
that in the districts of Temerloh, Pekan and Kuantan, the Malays, 
during a good padi season, grow on an average about enough rice 
for their own consumption ; whilst in UJu Pahang, where a pro- 
portion of the Malays are engaged in work connected with mining, 
the local crops produce about five-sixths of the rice necessary to 
support the Malay population. Much, however, depends on the 
rainfall which varies greatly, and 
or floods, the crops fail entirely, 
on imported rice. 
16. A more accurate estimate could have been furnished of the 
relative production and consumption of rice after the Census, 
which is to be taken next month, but as it will be some time before 
the Census returns have been compiled, I have thought it better 
not to delay this report which is already long overdue. 
17. Of the three methods of cultivation it is needless to say 
that the wet padi deserves the most encouragement ; but in many 
places where Malays have settled for generations and possess 
houses and valuable fruit plantations, there is no water available 
for irrigation except at a prohibitive cost. These men are forced 
to content themselves with plough or hill land. 
18. The, subject of the encouragement of rice cultivation 
throughout the Malay Peninsula was dealt with in the printed 
reports furnished by order of His Excellency the Governor in 
1893, and the recommendations made by the various officers from 
whom these reports were received were summarised and criticised 
by the Colonial Secretary, the late Sir WILLIAM Maxwell, in his 
minute of the 28th January, 1893, t° which I would refer you. 
Census. 
Comparison 
of the three 
methods of 
cultivation. 
Printed 
reports 
published in 
1893. 
Prospects of 19. The possibility of largely increasing the production by the 
locaTproduc- P rese . nt population is out of the question. The Pahang Malay 
tionofrice. can l> ve during a favourable season on the production of the area 
now cultivated, and his ambitions will not urge him to exertions 
which he considers unnecessary. He has enough during a good 
season, and were he to plant double the present area it would 
benefit him little in unfavourable seasons, when the crops fail 
almost entirely through floods or drought. At such times he can 
with ease earn enough money to keep him by working on day 
wages or collecting jungle produce. 
letthfs 2 °' .^ e introduction of foreignsettlers is the only means of largely 
increasing the local production, and, although there are doubtless 
areas of suitable land which could be irrigated, there is no pros- 
pect of inducing many foreign settlers to come in so long as the 
counter attraction exists in the Western States of an abundance 
of good land more easily accessible. Much, however, may be 
