Reviews

Talib's study provides an illuminating examination of the Sarawak Administrative Service for the entire period from 1841 to 1963. By focusing not merely on the Brooke era, but also on the colonial period which followed, Naimah Talib has provided an important contribution to our knowledge of Sarawak's modern development. While the prosaic, utilitarian features of the post-war Administrative Service suffer by comparison with the romance and idiosyncrasy of the Brooke years, Naimah is to be commended for tackling such an ambitious sweep of time. Moreover, by providing information on service conditions, the functions and roles of field officers, and the structure and composition of the Service, Naimah breaks new ground in the study of colonial administration. Simon C. Smith, JRAS Vol 10/3