Typed Letter Signed from an Englishman named 'Mac' in Singapore to his friend and business associate 'Dane' in England, describing the post-war situation there ('a hell of a mess') and 'a very adventurous trip' to Bajau.

Folio, 1 p. 70 lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged and creased paper. Signed 'Mac', with 'Duplicate' in the same hand at head of page. He had 'a lousy trip, a dry ship, eight to a two berth cabin and only one step - Port Said. And what a disappointment when I stepped ashore at Singapore. There has been very little if any reconstruction of the Harbour Board premises, goods lying in the open coolies also lying in the open with very little inclination to do any work and everything they do is at exhorbitant rates of pay.' He has 'parked' himself in the Adelphi Hotel, 'sharing a room with another man, (this is compulsory) at $15. per day each. The feed is scarce and

and altogether Singapore is in a hell of a mess.' References to a transport problem, the Allocation Board, acquiring a car, the price of clothing. 'The Army is in full possession of Singapore and Malaya generally. I should say that they occupy 95% of houses flats offices and godowns'. His own godown has been demolished, and he is trying hard to get a neighbouring one, used as a military store, derequisitioned. 'One of my Chinese managed to borrow a very broken down Austin 7 the first weekend I was here, and I had a very adventurous trip to BAJAU. What a shock I received. No rubber in the valleys and the bungalow although standing needs a lot of rennovating in the interior. The estate is still used as an interment Camp for Nip civilians and they looked to be very much overfed and having a good time.' Describes his investigations into the possibility of recommencing business. 'Now seeing that Bajau can no longer be considered a rubber estate, I think you will be very wise to sell off those parts which are clay bearing'. He is 'doing a little business': 'my compradore has an office in Beat Quay, one or two small stores and we have shipped 700 tons during the past three weeks'. (In 1941 the Straits Times named 'Mr. Gan Chong Bin' as 'comprador of the Malayan Rubber Trading Co., Ltd'.) Although 'Those who ran away and got back first have done very nicely for themselves' he concludes that 'Singapore is not a place to return to in a hurry'.