More Optimism Felt in Singapore: The New Pier's Name From Our Own Singapore, June 23. tainly coping with the problem The writer was in Shanghai last very efficiently.
October; he has "since been to Europe; and now he is back again were choked with rickshaws, bul-A few years ego ati our streets' fu Malaya, glad to find that there lock carts were everywhere, und is less of the slump than there was midget buses were allowed to dart six months ago. We appear to hither and thither to the peril of have turned the corner at last. everyone using the streets, All Even business men are growing! this is now changing. Gradually more optimistic, while the pretence the rickshaws are being eliminated, that there is any more retrench-ani jin a few years Singapore ment being carried on in the will have ay few rickshaws as has Colony is something that deceives modern Tokyo. As for bullock Ro one with eyes to see or ears arts they are seldom seen to-day, hear. In the FINS. they are still especially in the business part of feeling the draught, but even in the town, their plac having been those, lately, gloomy' regions things taken bythe lorry. singapore has|tp are Bucking up. Tubber companies never suffered, as does Penang to beginning to fight each other this very day, from the handcart for the very. limited amount of nace; nor have we wheel-barrows Jabour available, estates that had tg you have in the north, not tapped "for some. time are Our buses are now trolley buses, Deginning to do. so, and even the and very efficient, though tin-miners feel that things are not have some of the midget 40 bad as they were. Here, buses. running.
Singapore, we only feel all' this One curious thing one notes. Our through the reactions of the. stock trolley buses only. bother to label markets, just as you do in Shang-themselves in front. In front. there hat, but trusty correspondents. is a number (in English and Chi-form me that' pessimism is. really nese) and a few words in English. giving way "ts 'n- more considered And that ig all." Neither on the feeling that the corner' has de fides, nor on the back of the finitely been turned, ile, is there any indication to where the bus is going. Tmagin "To Him That Hath.. 2" is in London! And it is not. because we have few routes: to-day In spite of all this, howe 'We have many, and in some streets there Is no litre distress, manifest many different buses. ply, so. that Unless one is standing' in' front of an Asiatic and a European Unem-the bus one' does not know which ployment 'Fund th bus itis, Hime there was 'a perfect Postal Facilities retrenchment throughout We have, as you may know, behind them were told, when on fey. "Men "with "years grand new' General 'Post Ofice—leave, that their services were no Jonger "required." Men' "became perhaps one of the fest buildings in' Singapore, and housing not afraid to go to Burope lest their only the Post Office but, numerous jobs shoutd'be filched fro. them in other government departments, as their absence. And the Govern-well as containing the fine premises ment has been just as heart of the Singapore Club. "But does other employers. Instead of mak-this new Post Office give us any ing''a "gesture which would have more efficient service than did the ensured" loyal "ce-operation all old ramshackle building that used. Found, that is instead of scaling fo stand on. Collyer Quay? Well, down ' all" salaries and" allowing heve is one example of Singapore's everyone to remain at his post even I methods. Letters not though reduced "in income,—th to me in my fat (within Government chose to. dismiss e's throw of the centre of the wholesale, the resulting compensa town) before 9.15 on any morning. ion meaning a huge vote from the'
Sometimes the' first post arrives Treasury, and the distress caused about 10 am.t And it not only among the retrenchees but with posts outward. among "all their dependents. being complain that they ha enormous, Meanwhile, "to. him special arrangements if they would that "hath shall be given". We fotch the "post before the ofice happen' to now gt "government loses at o'pm. 'True there in a ailetrs already holding Super-scale hight posting: box, but that isnot sts who are in receipt of extra what the business' man requires. incomes because of other work they Shall have something more to say are doing as well; and" all. this about all this in another letter. "OE time there are men almost starving course" we do "not. suffer" the who would be lad of any. crumbs devastating worries that you in that felt from the vich man' table.
Shanghai suffer from very often $0 far ay your postal affairs are con-Singapore's New Pier cerned, "But after all we live ina!
To-day Singapore can boast a British Colony, and "we fine "new pier, and. henceforth all British efficiency in postal eminent visitors will have a fitting First post at 9.15 am, 1 place to be received on our shores, Our Local Cinematographs and our old dilapidated eyesore will soon be a thing of the pas So far as I remember in Hong-'The new pier question, or rath kong the 'Ginematograph theatres name of the now' pier, have four performances ised violent controversy "here while you in Shanghai have thr old pier Wag known as John: We in Singapore only just manage ston's Pier, and by that name the run to two (at 15 pin. and at Jocal' community, unanimously 9.15 p.m.) save on rare days when far as we can judge, wished the we squeeze in a matinee as well. now pier to be known. 'The Gov-In. this matter' Singapore is" deernor, or his advisers, thought finitely behind the times. All over otherwise. 'They decided' that the England, and especially in London, new pier was to bear the name of of course, T found that the Cinemas a recent distinguished governor—Showed a continuous programme Sir Hugh Clifford, and dear to all from noon onwards. In some places entreaty the. Government have they even began about 10 am. and cided that the new pier ix to be allowed" people in for half-price known as Clifford Pier. "You can before 2" p.m, Something of the Dung a horse, to the water? sent might well be tried here, for public s0 far are not playing. there are as many people who do T have heard noone use the new not know what to do with their name, all that I have heard is "The time who could be attracted inside new pier", or "The new Johnston's a picture theatre as there are in Pier", "Someone remarked th any dig. town. Another feature new structure was splendid that needs attention is the ques~
much asa good skating rink! As Xe Trominded him of nothing. tion of the of seats. Here: the lowest-priced seat that a for the outside, and for the pur-European can decently occupy costs Poses for which piers are construct-a dollar—two shillings and four
vided. Some experts even say expert nautical opinion is very Pence! In England you can see the same show, in a comfortable that there is less. accommodation seat, daring the afternoon, for than there was at the old pi under one shilling. In some theatres in the provinces, as a matter 'The Trafic Question of fact, you can see the same show for 24!" The whole question of Compared with Shanghai we seating and price reform needs to Singapore have hardly got trafic' question, Nothing, be taken in hand here. imagine, causes the visitor to Shang-Rotary Locally hai to wonder more than the wa Rotary is very strong in Malays you have attempted to solve your} Grate." problemes" The water and Singapore is earning a reputa studiea the question on the' spot tion as a place that not only. does ts Rotary business very thorough-while he. waa" with your and sines ly, but in, addition provides excel-teleut nate "Heperc supine "to lent "entertainment at. the -weekly Hike by the Municipality. "All the one Te supplied to tiffins. The other day we had the pleastire of ladies as our guests, same, the growing traffic in. this anda lady speaker discoursed 13 town' is taking a good deal of us "On the Art of Speaking". This our experts' time, and we are cer was something quite unusual, and
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.