TAKING OVER

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25301, 7 September 1945, Page 7

TAKING OVER

SINGAPORE QUIET 1 BRITISH AT WORK NO INCIDENTS OCCIJK JAPANESE LEAVING CKecd. 11.10 p.m.) I/ONDON. Sept. 6 British and Indian troops are taking over in Singapore much faster than was planned. There have been no incidents and the city passed a quiet night. The Singapore radio reports that things are beginning to move. Officials of the British Administration are reporting for duty and public services are working. Japanese troops are being withdrawn, as agreed with the Japanese envoys The first steps have been taken to deal with the economic muddle in Malaya. The commander of the British forces has issued two proclamations about currency, dealings in property and so on. The British military administration has a nucleus staff in sight, mostly formerly members of the Malaya civil service. Bizarre Incident Described "British soldiers are now motoring freely about Singapore," said a 8.8.C. correspondent who entered the city with the first troops. ''Several days before we came ashore 19 men parachuted into Malaya to look for prisoners, and two days ago public relations officers parachuted in to prepare for the press and other correspondents. "Indian troops went ashore first. Our reconnaissance party immediately started to advance with weapons at the ready—and then a weird business began. A big saloon car came along, driven by a Japanese private. It stopped, and out jumped one of our public relations officers. Ready lor Correspondents "This officer had been in Singapore for two days," the correspondent continued, "and had got offices from the Japanese ready for correspondents with typewriters, chairs, tables, paper and even a duplicating machine. He had also obtained 18 motor-cars, and had even got the Japanese general to send along beer. "1" got into the car. and as we drove along Japanese sentries at road junctions stood aside or waved us past the barriers. One presented arms and another grinned broadly. Some down-at-heel privates half raised their rifles, but could not make up their minds to fire, and the driver of our car s'ped confidently past them. "The business and residential quarters of Singapore are bright and clean and i saw practically no damage. Some buildings I particularly noted were the offices of the Bombay Trading Co., the Union Buildings, the General Post Office, and Raffles Hotel, which the

Japanese had used as an officers' club." City in Fair Condition Another correspondent says the city of Singapore, from a first quick survey, is in an immeasurably better condition though there are eigns of neglect in the streets. All water, light and electricity services are working. The Japanese made few demolitions and left their aircraft on the airfields, but there are obvious signs of hastily-prepared fixed defences. A British lieutenant-colonel wearing green battledress and a green beret went on board the Sussex with the Japanese delegates for the surrender ceremony. He was a member of a force dropped by parachute in all parts of South-east' Asia, and his particular task had been to organise Chinese guerillas in Southern Johore.