"CROSSROADS OF EAST."

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 37, 13 February 1929, Page 16

"CROSSROADS OF EAST."

MODERN SINGAPORE. ABSENCE OF RACIAL HATRED. BOYCOTT OF JAPANESE. WORK OF THE MISSIONS. While many races mingle at the crossroads to the East, Singapore, there is an absence of racial hatred in this modern city of half a million people, although the Chinese, who predominate, with their characteristic serenity, are quietly boycotting Japanese, owing to resentment at the policy of the latter in Manchuria. This impression was conveyed this morning by Mr. Eric. Price, who recently arrived in Auckland after serving with the Young Men's Christian Asso" eiation in Singapore. "Singapore is not a city of racial hatred, as iit has been described in a film recently shown in Auckland." said Mr. Price. "The various peoples certainly do not understand each other perfectly, and it will be very interesting to observe the city and just see how things workout. At present,however, the Chinese, of whom there are about 400,000, are carrying on a boycott against the Japanese, who comprise only a small section of the community, owing to resentment at the policy of the Japanese in Manchuria. The* boycott has extended right down to the Straits Settlements, the Dutch East Indies and Siam. This terrible weapon has been singularly effective in Singapore, and it has made it extremely difficult for the Japanese to do any business there. If the latter were dependent solely on the Chine.se trade, of course, they would be crippled.

Up-to-date Utilities. "Singapore," added Mr. Price, "is a city of perfect macadam roads, splendid order is kept there by a police force, consisting principally of Malayans and Sikhs, and it has all modern conveniences, including rapid transit. It is right at the crossroads of the East, and a tremendous amount of shipping concentrates on it. With the exception of wines, spirits and tobacco, Singapore is a free port, and the chief exports are rubber and tin. At present a more efficient water supply system is being installed, the source of which is in.the State of Jahore, a distance of 37 miles from the city. The storage reservoir in Singapore is the second largest iri the world, and the work on it has been carried out by the municipality at considerably less cost than the lowest of the private tenderers. Labour is so cheap in Singapore that it was found more economical to transport the concrete put into the tank by Coolie labour than to elevate and distribute it with modern machinery. The Chinese possess their own banks, insurance companies, and many of them carry on extensive businesses. Singapore is almost free from malaria, the work of the Health Department having proved very effective in stamping out the disease. While the climate is extremely hot all the year round, the nights are almost invariably cool, and Singapore is not, as some people suppose, an unpleasant place to live in."

Erection of Naval Base. Questioned concerning the Singapore naval base, Mr. Price said that the floating dock had • arrived in two sections, the centre of the structure comprising one section, and the two end portions the other. At present the piecing together of the dock was being proceeded with.

Discussing mission work in Singaj)oro, Mr. Price pointed out that several denominations were operating there through the churches and schools, and the Y.M.C.A. was co-operating with the latter in their programmes for boys. It is a very trying time for Chinese boys, because there is a certain loosening of parental influence, which has been very strong in China. And then there is the contact with Western materialism," he said. "The mission schools are counteracting these difficulties by concentrating primarily on moulding Christian character in both the boys anil girls. The Christian life appeals tremendously to many of the young Chinese, but very often their p&rents are diametrically opposed to anything that is Christian. On the other hand, there is a proportion of them favourably inclined towards the teaching of the missionaries."