Annual Report of the Director of Gardens for the Year 1920. 
During 1920 the following were so good as to give their services upon 
the Committees of Management: — 
Gardens’ Committee, Singapore. — Messrs. D. Beatty (from June 8th), 
and P. Cunliffe (from February 8th), the Hon’ble Mr. FI. W. Firmstone (to 
February 27th), Messrs. W. G. Hennings (from November 9th), E. S. Hose 
(to October ist), J. G. Hubback and W. P. Ker (to May 18th), the 
Hon’ble Dr. Lim Boon Keng, the Hon’ble Mr. W. Lowther Kemp, the 
Hon’ble Mr. F. J. Pigott, and Mr. E. C. H. Wolff (to May 20th). Com- 
mittee of Management for the Waterfall Gardens, Penang : the Hon’ble 
the Resident Councillor (Mr. G. A. Hall, to February 27th, and 
Mr. H. W. Firmstone afterwards), Mr. Lawrie C. Brown, Mr. J. D. Fettes, 
Captain H. M. S. Haugiiton (from May 14th), Dr. P. Liston (from June 
17th), and Mr. Hastings Rhodes (from July 16th). The Committee of 
Management for the Government House Domain consisted of the Director 
of Gardens with the Aide-de-Camp to His Excellency the Governor. 
Staff. 
The Director was on leave until June 13th. Up to that date Major 
T. F. Chipp, Assistant Director, acted as Director. On December 14th 
Major Chipp proceeded on leave, prior to transfer to West Africa. Except 
for a short period of deputation to lay out the Gardens at Bel Retiro, Penang 
Hill, Mr. Flippance was at his post of Assistant Curator, Botanic Gardens, 
Singapore, throughout the year: and Mr. Mohamed Haniff, except for a short 
period of illness, was in executive charge of the Waterfall Gardens, Penang. 
Mr. E. H. Mathieu remained in the service of the Department until July 31st, 
having executive charge of the Economic Garden. Mr. G. B. Deshmukh 
worked under him until then, and afterwards took over his charge. 
Mr. Kastawt bin Jalil, Foreman Gardener in the Botanic Gardens, died on 
July 7th — a great loss to the Department in which he had served 33 years. 
Labour. 
• 
Labour, uneasy at rising prices, was difficult to retain, and after the first 
quarter of the year, the forces were never at proper strength. In March, in 
Singapore, all the younger Javanese — mostly mowers — were induced to leave 
for a rubber estate; but the older Javanese in service, who are married and 
suitably housed in a compact colony of their own, stuck by the Department: 
the Tamils changed considerably. In Penang almost all the trained men 
were lost over the early months of the year; and great difficulties were 
experienced in maintaining the amenities of the Gardens after that mis- 
fortune. There is wisdom in domiciling a force of married men. Twice in 
Singapore, and twice in Penang, wages were increased; but the Department 
had lost men and it was impossible in the general scarcity of labour to rebuild 
the forces satisfactorily. By the sanctioned increments the coolie's wage 
stands at 70 cents per diem in Singapore, and at 62 cents in Penang. The 
increases amount to 75 and 93 per cent on the wage of 1916, or to 20 and 60 
per cent on that of 1919. Since 1916 reliable watchmen have been hard to get 
at a wage increased by 56 per cent. 
