Independence for Singapore

1957 - How a poor man eats in Singapore: A coolie squats in the street and eats his rice. Will Singapore get independence in 1957. Another British Possession on the Threshold of a new Era: Merdeka (independence for Singapore) may come this year, with the granting of a new constitution for internal independence, obtained by Lim Yew Hock, Chief Minister of the colony founded by Sir Stamford Raffles on a marsh in 1819 for the then East India Company. The plan would give a Malaya representative a balancing vote between British and Singapore representatives in the Council and Britains Control on internal affairs would cease. Singapores main threat is her 77% Chinese population whose allegiance is still in doubt, particularly after recent riots fostered by the Communists in China. Authorities fear that if Merdeka comes and Britain withdraws her forces, up-country bandits would take over at gun-point. Already it is known that 100 secret societies operate in the Colony, extorting protection money. It is these elements which could easily come to the fore in troublous times. In Sanskrit Sing pura means Lion City. British capital, blood and sweat created a prosperous city and colony with a water front as imposing as that of any world city with piers, warehouses skyscraper offices, and a breakwater to protect the wonderful natural harbour. This is one of a series of pictures taken by a staff cameraman visiting the colony and shows something of life there today. (Credit Image: (c) Keystone Pictures USA/ZUMAPRESS.com/Mary Evans)

Restrictions Only for United Kingdom

1819 Allegiance Authorities Balancing Bandits Breakwater Britains Cameraman Cease Communists Constitution Coolie Doubt Easily Eats Elements Extorting Fore Fostered Granting Gun-point Hock Imposing Internal Malaya Means Merdeka Obtained Operate Particularly Piers Possession Prosperous Protect Pura Raffles Recent Representative Sanskrit Singapores Skyscraper Squats Stamford Sweat Threat Threshold Troublous Up-country Warehouses Withdraws

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