LIFE IN SINGAPORE

Evening Star, Issue 24332, 22 October 1942, Page 6

LIFE IN SINGAPORE

TRAVEL CLUB TALK An interesting talk was given to the Travel Club by Flying-officer Richardson this morning on life in Singapore before its fall. ■ Flying-officer Richardson held the position of head master of a Presbyterian mission school from 1938 till he left on furlough in November last year. lie spoke of the difficulties of working in Singapore, where the language problem outweighed all others In the school English was the language of instruction, but on Sundays services were held in seven different lan- , guages Singapore, he said, had normally a population of about 600,000 people, a large proportion of whom were Chinese. Indians, Eurasians, and Europeans ntade up the rest, but at the time of the fall of the city there must have been at least a million people living there, owing to evacuation from other places. He described the Chinese hawkers who cook and sell food to the poorer people, who never eat or cook m inors. Flying-officer Richardson concluded his talk With a few observations on the reasons for the fall of Singapore and urged those present fo avoid the dangers of complacency, a feeling that it is very easy fo indulge in when' the enemy seems far distant. He appealed on behalf of the R.N.Z.A.F. for more women (o join the W.A.A.F. jo release men for combatant service. Visitors welcomed by Mrs Richard- Hudson were Mrs E. Chnrton (Auckland). Mrs E. S. Rivers fTe Kniti), Miss Baldwin CTurakina Valley). Mrs Clifton .Tohnston (Wellington), and Mrs Brown (Christchurch).