Report from Lundu November 1908

Up to the prsent no arrests have yet been made in connection with the death of Ooi Ah Cha, a Lew-chew of Skati, who between 9 and 10 P.M. on the 31st October, was murdered by his two coolies Chong Shin and Keah Chin assisted by three other Lew-chews. This matter has already been fully reported elsewhere.

Much disappointment was felt owing to His Highness the Rajah Muda being unavoidably prevented from visiting this station, as he had previously arranged to do, abouth the 9th.

I was away at Simatan from the 18th to 21st. Here a well for Officers drinking water has been sunk and it will be kept under lock and key. Formerly water for use at the bungalow was drawn from kampong wells, not always desirable spots from where to et drinking water. On the last two occasions when visiting this place I and my coolies were taken ill, this I attributed to the water, so decided that it was quite time Government had a good well of it's own.

A few Malays were anxious to have a big tubah fishing in the Skambal river and the Dyaks stated they would be pleased to participate in this ceremony and provide their share of the tubah, at the same time they very wisely pointed out that the tubah would destroy all the oysters. As this delicacy is quite one of the features of Lundu and much in request by visitors both Europeans and natives the tubah fishing was not allowed.

Natives and Chinese I am glad to notice are this year farming on a much larger scale than they have done for the last two or three seasons. With the splendid facilities afforded for irrigation on Tanjong Puron opposite the Court House one wonders what there is, beyond their lack of energy, to prevent these people from raising two crops of padi a year. If the in habitants would produce sufficient rice for their own consumption much of the inconveniences caused by the landas, when rice is sometimes as much as 50 cents per gantang, would disappear. Even in the fine monsoon the price is never lower than 3 to 31/2 gantangs a dollar and that for second quality only.

The sea up to middle of the month was quite calm, but after that date the weather becae very rough and stormy.

At 7 P.M. on the 28th I left for Kuching with a police squad taking with me the remainder of the old Straits dollars from the Treasury here.

F.F. Boult,
Resident 2nd Class.