Tuaran town literally invaded by Chinese
Published on: Friday, September 16, 1938
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Tuaran is becoming in truth a “Garden Town’ Old unsightly houses, which had crept into places where they never should have been have now disappeared and our hopes of a well planned town will soon be realised. The Chinese who have such a good smell for� business have literally invaded the place. A huge block of new shops opposite the existing ones is almost completed and the shopkeepers are already robbing their hands at the prospect of the new business they hope to get. New Police Barracks are also in the course of construction. In the first stages of building the rhythmic whoops of the men engaged in pile driving affected nearly everybody who unconsciously kept time in everything they were doing.
The known Tuaran Padi fields are now shimmering masses of green and at present a wonderful sight of orderly cultivator. Consequent on the planting being finished, hundreds of buffaloes have been turned out into the roads to present a further hazard to the poor motorist, who usually has all his time taken up dodging bus drivers.
The bus service incidentally is excellent. With the very latest types and makes, the possibility of a breakdown is very remote. The drivers, who in previous times were so used to the bangs and rattles of their old buses now show their disappointment at the lack of noise by fiendish and continuous blasts on’ the horns.
Rain of course has been plentiful of late and has tended to make Tuaran cooler than ever. The mornings are always cool and delightfully fresh from the winds which sweep down from Kinabalu and in the afternoon the wind is usually strong and continuous. This latter phenomenon has given rise to the possibilities of installing a windmill for irrigating further dry padi fields. With this object in view a wind gauge was installed much to the disgust of the Native Clerk who had to walk continually backwards and forwards from wind gauge to office taking readings. These readings have now been completed and tangled figures submitted for expert approval.
The Tamu is still a feature of Sunday morning in Tuaran and the streams of natives who pour into Tuaran make a very colourful spectacle with their brightly coloured robes and sarongs. The men also contribute their full part to the coloured dressings and the combined effect is very striking. Unfortunately the Tamu is now becoming a hunting ground for keen money makers and with their buttons and buckles, tailored shirts and other civilised merchandise the effect is rather spoilt.
The recent Race Meeting held by the Jesselton Gymkhana club had everyone very excited here. When we were asked to send thirty ponies in to swell the gathering we thought our success was assured. We were doomed to disappointment however for quality and not quantity won out again. We are determined to show that our ponies, although they can’t win races, can at least play Polo. The Race Course field has now been marked off with white sticks and all obtainable labour is engaged in filling in buffalo willows and smoothing off the bumps. The only trouble is that nobody knows how to play but we are sure that our genuine efforts to start will soon attract some interested advocate of the game to help us out. As soon as we think ourselves suitably proficient we will challenge all comers and hold a regular gala day in Tuaran.
BEAUFORT
An unusual case of a death by lighting occurred recently at Lumadan. Deceased was walking along a covered way between the main shop and the kitchen, when apparently the kitchen itself was struck. Deceased was killed instantly and another person following behind collapsed and was unconscious for twenty-four hours. The door of the kitchen was burst open the lintel broke in the middle and several attaps were blown off the kitchen roof. The appearance of the kitchen is reported to have been the same as if a bomb had exploded the rain.
At exactly the same time, but elsewhere on the Estate, a coolly walking through the rubber also collapsed and was unconscious for several hours, with the same symptoms as those struck by lighting.
The same flash was felt considerably in Beaufort, where what looked like a blue ball of fire about the size of a man’s fist travelled down the District Officer’s serial wire and went off with a sound like a damp cracker inside the radio set. A claim that the lid of the set opened and shut again is generally disbelieved locally!
An ironic coincidence in connection with above is that when the flash occurred, a lively discussion took place as to the possibilities of being struck while inside a building and mainly with a view to steadying one’s own nerves, it was decided that the chances were practically nil. Half an hour later the above report came through, and as the storm was still raging, conversation on the phone was brief.
Inspired by the very considerable improvements recently carried out in the Jesselton Hotel, we have been playing around a bit with the local Rest house on the same lines, and it is to be hoped that visitors will appreciate that one room has been enlarged and entirely repainted. Alterations to others are planned, and suggestions, or criticism are welcome.
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