CO129-472 - Others - 1921 — Page 456

-3-

453

GENERAL REPORT.

SINGAPORE

The Commissioners beg to submit a Report of their enquiries during their stay in Singapore from January 17th to 27th, as to the conditione affecting the prevention and cure of venereal disease, together with certain Recommendations as to the directions in which these might be increased.

The Commission arrived in Singapore on the morning of January 17th. who had been appointed as local Secretary met us

Captain Hacker, R.A.M.C., at the docks.

In the absence of Sir Laurence Guillemard in the Federated Malay States during the first part of our visit, Sir William Murison was acting Governor.

The programme submitted to the authorities had been modified owing to our arrival three days later than anticipated. Unfortunately the preliminary Conference had been concelled. We found the disadvantage of this throughout our whole atay in Singapore as it was only on the last day that an official conference was convened by His Excellency the Governor when we were able to reach many of the representative persons whose assistance and co-operation we required,

We saw Sir William Murison on the afternoon of our arrival and discussed the programme of the Commission. He intimated that the out-of-pocket expenses of the Commission on transport, printing, hire of halls, etc., would be defrayed by the Colonial Government.

Arrangements were made for the Commissioners to meet the chinese Advisory Committee, no arrangements having been included in the preliminary prograFMO for any conferences with representatives of Chinese or native opinion.

No objection was raised to the support of the Press being obtained and the meetings throughout the visit of the Commission were fully reported. Films were used,

those of a propaganda nature being limited to English apeaking audiences.

Through Sir William Murison interviews were arranged with Dr. Lim Boon Keng, leader of the Chinese community and Chinese member of the Council; and with the Chairman of the Singapore

Legislative Chamber of Commerce. The latter undertook to have notices of the film showings distributed to all members of the Chamber of Commerce with a covering letter signed by himself asking them to invite all the European members of their staffs. Dr. Lim Boon Keng had already taken part in the venereal disease con- troversy which had arisen in the local medical associa- tion with reference to the formation of a Federated Malay States Branch of the Society for the Prevention of Venereal Diseases. A year ago a considerable correspondence had arisen in the press in which the Bishop and various laymen had attached the Society for the Prevention of Venereal Diseases, and the latter Society had been supported by various members of the medical fraternitya Dr. Lim Boon Keng delivered a