12 
in the new air-conditioned building was slight. About one quarter of the 
bound volumes and an ever-growing quantity of new literature are still 
improperly housed and constantly subject to insect infestation. A new library 
building large enough to hold all the books, and with ample space for future 
acquisitions, is urgently required. New books and periodicals can then pass 
straight into it without being contaminated. A great many volumes still await 
binding or re-bmding. The library, which has one of the finest collections of 
old botanical literature in South-East Asia, contains many very valuable works 
and much literature which is irreplaceable. It is essential that it should be 
properly housed and adequately cared for. 
52 Acquisitions during the year comprise 25 books and 11 periodicals 
y purchase and 119 periodicals and 143 reprints obtained by exchange agree¬ 
ments for the^ Gardens’ Bulletin and Annual Report. Exchange arrangements 
now exist with 160 scientific institutions. 
X. BAND CONCERTS 
c 53 - During the year twenty-two concerts were given between 5-6.15 p m 
on Sundays by the military bands on duty in Singapore. The concerts continue 
to be extremely popular and very large crowds have attended. The bands of 
the following regiments performed: —the 1st Bn. the Royal Lincolnshire 
Regiment: 1st Northern Rhodesian Regiment; 1st Bn. the Queen’s 
Royal Regiment; 1st Fijian Infantry Regiment; 2nd Bn. the Royal Welch 
Fusiliers; 1st Bn. the King’s Own Scottish Borderers; 1st King’s Dragoon 
Guards; 15/19 the Kings Royal Hussars; 1st Bn. the South Wales Borderers; 
fd Bn. Royal Australian Regiment; 1 /6 Gurkha Rifles (Pipes and Drums); 
- KEO Goorkhas. The Commanding officers of these regiments and the bands 
are thanked for providing excellent performances, as is Major-General D. D. 
C. Tulloch, C.B., d.s.o., m.c., by whose courtesy they are given. Col Coliver 
is thanked for arranging them. 
XI. CONDUCT AND GARDENS’ BY-LAWS 
54 - Considering the very large number of people who visit the Gardens 
daily, damage by the public is comparatively slight. Nevertheless, there has 
been an increase m petty pilfering this year, people damaged plants by carving 
0rl j « em ’ anc * responsible hooligans on bicycles continue to ignore notices 
and flaunt authority wherever possible. At the Chinese New Year, despite a 
general prohibition by the Police, the Gardens were rendered hideous by the 
constant detonation of fire crackers. Although it was the year of the monkey 
which was being ushered in, the wild monkeys in the Gardens were terrified 
and fled to the tops of the tallest trees in the Gardens’ jungle or escaped to 
the comparative security of neighbouring Tyersall, For two whole days 
the bombardment continued during which plants were damaged, a thick litter 
of exploded crackers and other refuse littered the Gardens, and much in¬ 
convenience was caused to law-abiding citizens. Later in the year two men 
were caught trapping birds using a Straits robin as a decoy in a cage and 
sticks with bird line. 
55. Three new Security Guards were engaged towards the end of the 
year and it is hoped that they will be able to restore better conduct among 
the small minority of visitors who mis-use the Gardens. The situation is 
rendered difficult, however, by the fact that new Gardens’ By-Laws are 
urgently required and these cannot be promulgated, as the governing princi¬ 
pal legislation, the Raffles Society Ordinance of 1878, is still under revision. 
