Handbook of the federated Malay states - Sabrizain.org

8 Handbook of the
The example set by Perak and Selangor was followed a
few years later by the adjoining State of Negri Sembilan,
and last of all, some ten years ago, by Pahang.
Government. ^V ^^ ^^® 7^^^ 1896 each of the four States was independently
administered, on behalf of its native ruler, by a
British Resident and the usual staff of Grovernment Officers
acting under the direction of the Grovernor of the Straits
Settlements.
In that year the chiefs of the States agreed by treaty to a
system of mutual assistance for administrative purposes, and
to the coalescence of the establishments of the four Grovernments
into one Civil Service. The system thus agreed upon
was at once inaugurated, and the administration of the States
is now settled in the following form : Subject to the directions
of Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the
Colonies the Grovernor of the Straits Settlements also holds
office as High Commissioner of the Federated Malay States.
The principal Civil Officer resident in the States is the
Resident-Greneral, in whom is vested the direction of affairs
in all the States. He is assisted by a staff of Federal
Officers, to whose hands is entrusted the supervision of the
principal departments of the four States, such as those of
Finance, Lands, Mines, Public Works, Railways, Police,
Prisons, and Education.
The Federal Staff also includes the Judicial Commissioner,
in whom is vested the supreme judicial authority,
the Legal Adviser, the Commandant of the Regiment of
the Malay States Gruides, the Protector of Chinese, the
Pathologist, and the Superintendent of the Government
Experimental Gardens.
Subject to the direction of the Resident-General and the
supervision of the Federal Officers, each State continues, as
heretofore, to be administered by its own Resident upon
nearly the same lines as was formerly the case. The revenue
of each State is separately collected, and the expenditure is
met therefrom so far as is possible. Where the revenue of any
State is not yet sufficiently large to enable it to entirely
defray the cost of its own development, pecuniary assistance
is rendered by those in more prosperous circumstances.
The ranks of the Civil Service are recruited by the
appointment of Cadets after examinations in England, held
annually about the month of August. These examinations
are conducted by the Civil Service Commissioners, and are
held conjointly with those for appointments in the Home,
Indian and Eastern Colonial Services.