In refuence mey
INWARD TELEGRAM
300
M Sidelothamn
TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES
Drij. on 25102/9(5)/48
FROM OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER-GENERAL,
SOUTH EAST ASIA.
To see ref.
По Катовари
proposal. 996.
26/+1
Cypher (0.T.P.)
D. 25th November, R. 25th
1948.
18.00 hrs.
IMMEDIATE
No. 312
Addressed to S. of S.
Repeated
*#
瞿
If
Federation of Malaya,
Governor Singapore, by bag.
Your telegram No. 481.
E.C.A.F.E.
McKerron and I discussed the matter with Lokana than when he stayed with me two days ago.
לי
2. He advised against a formal invitation to E.C.A. now to set on their permanent or even semi-permanent headquarters in Singapore. There appeared to be two reasons for this, Firstly, he thought that those concerned were unlikely to take a decision at present about a permanent or even semi-permanent site. Secondly, he felt that if a decision on the point were now forced, Singapore might well be turned down on the ground that its housing accommodation for permanent staff would be very inadequate. He thinks that this question of housing will play an important part in discussions of possible sites and that it is, therefore, (?better) if possible to leave the matter open until situation in Singapore is better in this respect.
3. McKerron made it clear that housing situation is unlikely to be sufficiently good for a few years to come for every individual member of the staff to have his or her own quarters. He indicated that bachelors would have to double up and that greater part of the staff would have to live in hotels for some time to come, On the other hand he indicated. that there is a block of flats in private ownership, Seaview Hotel area, which might be made available for occupation by E.C.A. staff in reasonably near future if E.C.A. make arrangements with owners to have these flats reconditioneŭ and leased to them, He is making further enquiries into this possibility. Lokanathan said that he thought funds would be available for the purpose and he personally seemed quite attracted by the prospect,
#to His advice was that Malayan delegate at Conference in Australia should jasue a formal invitation for next session of the Conference, at present tentatively arranged for April or May next year, to be held in Singapore and for Secretariat to take up their quarters in Singapore as long before that Conference as they like so that they may prepare for the session. On this basis Lokanathan thought there would be a good chance of invitation being accepted.
He
Apala