Ibrahim to H.H. The Sultan of Johore. 885 orchid sprays were provided for 
state gifts on 18 occasions, and 1,085 sprays were provided for National Day 
state banquets in Singapore, London and New Delhi. 
51. At the present time the Department is providing cut flowers for 
office decoration which amounted during the year to: 
3,000 sprays to the Prime Minister’s Office, thrice weekly; 
1,820 sprays to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, twice weekly; 
372 sprays to the Ministry of Law and National Development, once 
weekly; 
335 sprays to the Ministry of Interior and Defence, once weekly; and 
458 sprays to the Public Service Commission, once weekly. 
52. Decoration was arranged for four state banquets held at the 
Conference Hall: Chinese New Year banquet on 9th February; banquet in 
honour of the Prime Minister of India, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, on 19th May; 
banquet in honour of the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. John Gorton 
on 10th May and the National Day banquet on 14th August. The floral 
display at each of these called for skilful planning, and each was in itself 
a flower show. For the four banquets nearly 4,000 pot plants and about 450 
orchid plants were used, 
53. 832 orchid cuttings and seedlings were given free to eight Social 
Welfare Homes for the establishment of nucleus collections from which to 
raise cut flowers and to provide a source of occupation for the resident inmates. 
XDC. ADVISORY SERVICE 
54. Numerous requests were received for identification of plants. These 
came generally from businessmen, hospitals, members of the public and 
science teachers and students. In most cases identification was possible, 
though it must be stated that stomach washings from the hospitals of suspected 
food poisoning did present peculiar difficulty. 
55. Advice on planting and lay-out of gardens was given to Government 
departments, schools. Statutory Boards and Community Centres. The total 
number of plants supplied free to government departments, schools, etc., was 
26,687, of which 6,889 were tree seedlings. Some 9,000 pot plants were let 
out on loan to government and civic organisations for special functions. 
This was an increase of about 40 per cent over the figure for 1967. 
56. Mr. A. G. Alphonso served as a member on the following Com- 
mittees: (1) for Singapore’s participation in the World Exposition, 1970, 
in Osaka, Japan; (2) for Jurong Parks; (3) the Panel of Advisers to the 
Public Utilities Board for Recreational Development of Parks, and (4) 
continued as a member of the International Orchid Commission on Classi- 
fication, Nomenclature and Registration. Mr. Burkill assisted Mr. E. H. Tong, 
Director of Whipsnade Zoo, England, who visited Singapore to advise the 
P.U.B. on the feasibility of establishing a zoo in the Seletar Reservoir 
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