STRATEGIC POINT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 306, 26 December 1936, Page 12

STRATEGIC POINT.

LIFE AT SINGAPORE. I BULWARKS OF PACIFIC. i e I DOCTOR'S IMPRESSIONS. t After an absence from New Plymouth of ten years, Dr. B. M. Johns, of the Malayan Medical Service, has returned from Singapore on eight months' fur--3 lough. Dr. Johns, who is visiting his - parents, Mr. and Mrs. F. S. Johns, i Barrett Street, arrived at New Plymouth 1 this week, and when interviewed by the B Taranaki "Daily News" was able to 1 give illuminating sidelights on life at - one of the strategic points in Britain's > defences. 5 • The Japanese expansion plans, ,a - matter of continual interest to New ' Zealanders, are not viewed with great apprehension by Dr. Johns, who at the ' sa,me time gave the opinion that the J Dominion is more conversant with the ' problem even than the residents of • Singapore. Britain is nevertheless quietly going ahead with her work at the Singapore base and although a depot monitor is the only naval vessel stationed'> various units of the China Squadron are frequent "callers at the port. "Singapore has nevertheless in. my time definitely assumed a more militaristic aspect," commented Dr. Johns. "The most notable '. development has been the growth of the Royal' Air Force, which, although not vet a powerful arm. is rapidly progressing!', Singapore' is the centre for the R.A.F.. Far. .East and is the base for the Singapore. 111. flying boats for reconnaisanee work and for two bomber ..squadron's.'.' ~ It is as a port of call for merchant and passenger' shipping, that . Singapore Harbour has mainly impressed Dr. Johns. The traffic in Sydney Harbour is small compared with that of Singapore, which is visited .by all liners- on the Europe-

Japan service and by the Dollar Line round-the-world service. There is a tremendous inter-island trade for smaller shipping, and some time ago it was recorded that 100 vessels of varying sizes daily entered and left the port. New Civil Airport. Within 10 minutes' drive of the city, with all the facilities for civil aircraft both land and sea, a new civil airport which has risen' out of reclaimed swamp land at a cost of about £1.000,000 is one of the outstanding features of modern Singapore. Singapore as an aviation centre is undoubtedly one of the key links in the Empire services, being a base both for Imperial Airways and the Australian Qantas Airways. From its geographical position Singano*x» is naturally thoroughly cosmopolitan. "Anyone sitting at the Singapore Swimming Club," said Dr. Johns, "will hear practically every language of the West spoken. - ' The East also has full

representation. ' The • bulk of the Malayan population is Chinese, but of many types. The average European, commented Dr. Johns, did not realise how many different races China held until one worked among them. In one hospital ward it was possible to find five or six different dialects spoken by Chinese patients. Indians lorined tae second largest division of population, while Japanese were engaged in business and in fishing on the shores of Singapore and' 'Malaya.' "The. different races live in extraordinary harmony," declared Dr. Johns. "Singapore had its problems arising from Communism in past years, particularly among a certain type of Chinese, but the Police Department of Malaya, a very capable organisation, has definitely cut down crimes of violence very considerably. This can be noticed in hospital work, for I am not handling the number of cases of shooting'and stabbing th? t I did eight years ago."