Local Authorities Rush Work on Final Defence Measures; Britons Subject to Conscription Singapore, Aug. 31. strategic outpost of the British Empire, today appeared to be an impregnable fortress as local authorities rushed work on final defence measures "in view of the situation in the Far East."
Obstructions on the beaches have been demolished, including private landing piers, pavilions and bathing enclosures originally intended to keep out sharks. Barbed wire entanglements have been
of the business area. aat line, even including Collyer Quay, one of the subjects are subject to) Malaya is largely dependent on imn under an ordinance pass- ported supplies, not only for sixty ly and many Britons have per cent. of its normal rice required up for training, ments, but also for a large proporattended parades every tion of its fresh fruits and vegetables including long sessions on: which come from Thailand, French y afternoons and Sunday Indo-China, the Netherlands East ngs.
Indies and India.
Rice Production Tokyo, Aug. 31.
The "Miyako Shimbun" today suggested the conclusion of a military alliance between the Nanking Government and Japan if such a pact is not already included in the treaty which is being drafted in Nanking at present.
Congratulating General Nobuyuki Abe, special Japanese envoy to Nanking and Mr. Wang Ching-wei, head of the Nanking Government, on their meeting today at Nanking for the formal confirmation of the treaty draft after two months of negoti: tions, the newspaper said thet conclusion of such an alliance would not merely help the- unification of China but would strengthen Nanking's demand that third powers in China return their concessions to the Nanking Government. Manchoukuo's development, the "Miyako" said, is due to the Japanese-Manchoukuo military agreement.
To remedy this weakness, the Gov-—United Press. ernment has made efforts to increase domestic rice production. Labourers on "rubber and coconut plantations, troops serving in England and the Near East.
Flying Training Supplies from south Malaya have considerably in recent weeks special arrangements have been to market the products here.
and Asiatics have been Plant vegetables in their and. bungalow compounds. Demonstration plots have been planted the Botanical Gardens and in several public parks. for the voluntary peacetime level, and the new income th Malaya is still at about the normal cee ere teration
tax has not yet been enforced, nearly £1,000,000 has been voluntarily subscribed to various war funds.
The largest amount has gone to a The Defence Regulations, which are in force in the Straits Settlements, the Federated Malay States and the Unfederated Malay States, give the authorities wide powers to deal with any situation which may arise. There have been only a few prosecutions thus far, however.
Censorship is not enforced more strictly than is required to prevent military information from leaking out. The latest plan by the Malayan population to help the British war effort was a scheme to give preliminary flying training in Singapore to men accepted by the R.A.F. as potential pilots.
Flying clubs are cooperating in this scheme which aims to train pilots up to the stage where they can be sent abroad for intermediate and advanced training—United Press.
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