9 
founding of Malaya’s principal industry. Past and present work of the Depart¬ 
ment was also shown. H. E. the Governor and Lady Black, the Commissioner- 
General and Lady Scott, and some 600 invited guests visited the exhibition, 
which was thrown open to the public on 15th December. The Government 
Printer very kindly printed a brochure to commemorate the occasion, a copy 
of which was given to the guests and also distributed overseas. A copy bound 
in green morocco leather was presented to Mr. Ridley. 
44. On the evening of the 10th December over 100 guests attended a 
cocktail party in the Director’s house, where Mr. Ridley had lived for twenty 
three years. Proposing Mr. Ridley’s health, H. E. the Governor, Sir Robert 
Black, said that Mr. Ridley, “was in the best tradition of those who over the 
years have come from overseas to serve Malaya, whatever criticisms may now 
be levelled at their heads, in that he placed obligation above privilege, and 
found his best reward in the prosperity and increasing well-being of the people 
of the country ... I am sure that everyone will join with me in congratulating 
Mr. Ridley, who has made such an outstanding contribution to the wealth and 
knowledge of Malaya and Singapore, on this very happy occasion of his 
centenary.” 
45. The portion of the Gardens along the Office Ring Road, the Lower 
Ring Road and adjacent areas, as well as the office and herbarium buildings 
and plant house, were floodlit for eight nights during 10th-17th December and 
attracted large crowds. Floodlighting of some of our very fine trees, such as 
Hymenaea courbaril, Koompassia malaccensis and Terminal!a subspathulala , 
provided some very beautiful effects which will long be remembered. Mr. 
Siddaway, Electrical Engineer of the Public Works Department, and his staff 
are thanked for installing the apparatus. Four concerts beginning at 9 p.m. 
were given during the week by the following bands: The Band of the 1st 
Battalion of the Queen’s Royal Regiment, in conjunction with choral items 
given by the Singapore Chamber Ensemble, The Singapore Police Force 
Band; the R.A.F. Band of the Far East Forces and the Royal Marine Band 
of the Commander-in-Chief of the Far East Station. To them our thanks 
are due. 
46. Radio Malaya produced an hour’s feature programme entitled, 
“They Called Him Mad” for the occasion, which included the recorded voices 
of Mr. Ridley himself. Sir Richard Winstedt, R. J. Farrer, Ahmat bin Hassan, 
R. E. Holttum, Young Chao Sian (118 year-old Chinese calligraphist). Dr. 
Howes, Tan Hoon Siang, Gerald Hawkins and J. W. Purseglove. The 
Director also made other broadcasts for Radio Malaya and the B.B.C. Mr. 
David Marshall, Singapore’s Chief Minister, presented Mr. Ridley personally 
with a silver Kelantan tea set on the birthday, while the Gardens sent a bouquet 
of Singapore orchid hybrids. The Rubber Growers’ Association gave him 
a bronze bust of himself, while a further bust will be placed in their London 
headquarters. 
47. Among the many congratulatory telegrams received by Mr. Ridley 
was one from Her Majesty the Queen. Sir Richard Winstedt described him 
recently as “the one man whose influence on Malayan history is second only to 
that of Raffles”. The staff at the Gardens have every reason to be proud of 
Mr. Ridley, not only for his great achievements and all that he did for us and 
Malaya so long ago, but also for his remarkable longevity. It was good to 
hear from Mr. Ridley that “my hundredth birthday was one of the most 
enjoyable days of my life”. 
