1.
MLS BUILDING UNDER CONSTRUCTION (2 SHOTS)
9 1/2 ft

2.
MS WOMEN WORKERS (3 SHOTS)
16 ft

3.
LS CONSTRUCTION SITE (PAN) COMPLETED FLATS
19 1/2 ft

4.
LS SLUM AREA SOON TO BE DEMOLISHED (2 SHOTS)
25 ft

5.
LS (TOP VIEW) QUEENSTOWN SATELLITE TOWN (2 SHOTS)
29.5 ft

6.
LS QUEENSTOWN FLATS (4 SHOTS)
42 1/2 ft

7.
MS GROCERY SHOPS (2 SHOTS)
48 1/2 ft

8.
CU GOVERNMENT-RUN CLINIC (4 SHOTS)
58 ft

9.
MLS METHODIST CHURCH
61 ft

10.
MLS SCHOOL
65 ft

11.
LS FLATS
68 ft



Initials CAR/S/MK/GAP/AMR



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: SINGAPORE, A 224-SQUARE-MILE-ISLAND WITH A POPULATION OF 1.7 MILLION AND INCREASING AT THE RATE OF NEARLY THREE PER CENT EACH YEAR, HAS IN THE PAST BEEN POSED WITH THE PROBLEM OF WHERE TO HOUSE ITS PEOPLE.

IN MID-1962, THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT BOARD SET OUT ON A FIVE-YEAR PLAN TO CLEAR THE SLUMS AND CONGESTED AREAS WITH A VIEW TO GIVE THE PEOPLE NEW, CLEAN AND HYGIENIC LOW-COST HOUSES.

MANY ACRES OF LAND WERE CLEARED AND THE BOARD WENT AHEAD BUILDING NEW ESTATES CONSISTING OF BLOCKS OF FLATS FOR FAMILIES OF THE LOWER WAGE GROUP.

THE FIRST AND THE LARGEST OF THESE ESTATES TO BE COMPLETED WAS QUEENSTOWN, NAMED AFTER THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND, AND IS NOW KNOWN AS SINGAPORE'S FIRST SATELLITE TOWN.

THE TOWN IS DIVIDED INTO FIVE NEIGHBOURHOODS, EACH WITH ITS OWN SHOPPING CENTRE, SCHOOLS, CLINICS, CHURCHES, PLAY GROUNDS AND MARKETS. AN INTERESTING FEATURE IS THAT ALTHOUGH NEARLY ALL OF THE DWELLERS ARE CHINESE, THE STREETS HAVE ENGLISH NAMES.

AT PRESENT, THERE ARE 45 HOUSING ESTATES SCATTERED ALL OVER THE ISLAND HOUSING OVER THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE. THE RENTS RANGE FROM 20, 40 AND 60 MALAYSIAN DOLLARS PER MONTH.