TRAVELLERS' GUIDE TO SINGAPORE, 1958 (Late publication)

Mr John Ede asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the booklet entitled Travellers' Guide to Singapore, 1958, published and distributed by the Department of Information Services, was not published until June of this year; what are the reasons for the delay; and whether he will take steps to see that the 1959 Edition is published at the beginning of January, 1959.

Mr David: Sir, advance copies of the Guide were distributed in May. The Guide is produced for the Department of Information Services by an advertising firm free of charge. The decision to publish was not made until December last year and the text was not ready until January this year. The interval between them and the distribution of copies was, I understand, due to the need for obtaining support from advertisers to meet the cost of production and with proof-reading and printing.

Discussions about the 1959 Edition are already being held with the publishers and I hope that earlier publication will be possible next year.

Mr John Ede: Mr Speaker, Sir, is the Hon. the Chief Secretary aware that this 1958 Edition of the booklet published in May contained a diary of outstanding events in Singapore from January and will he state what the purpose of that was?

Mr David: Sir, I have already explained that the text of this volume was ready in January this year and it was not in the control of the Department as to the actual date of publication because that was in the hands of the producers.

Mr John Ede: Is the Hon. the Chief Secretary aware that the reply does not convince us that the Government is encouraging the tourist industry in earnest in so far as the Information Services is concerned?

Mr David: This publication, Sir, was produced, as I have mentioned, without cost to the Government and it was in advance of the arrangements that have now been made for promoting tourism and that is the reason why there was this delay.