Chapter 4: The British Government in Singapore

Secret societies exist in all societes/ countries

Recall…  Immigrants numbers were rising - more people, more problems.  Textbook p.43  Each race was segregated and a kapitan was appointed to take charge of the internal affairs of each community  Each Chinese dialect group had their own kapitan

What were their problems?  Problem 1 - Chinese Secret Societies  Problem 2 - Abuse of Immigrants  Problem 3 - Piracy

Chinese Secret Societies

Problems of secret societies  Violence and crime  Evidence:  Hokkien Ghee Hin and Teochew Ghee Hin rioted and fought with each other (p63)  Destroyed properties such as people’s homes (p63) and warehouses (p64)  Robbed and killed (p63)  Attacked the police (p64)

Problems of secret societies  Carried out illegal activities and social vices  Evidences:  Ran opium houses - opium addiction  Ran brothels  Ran gambling dens (p63)

Activities carried out by the Triads

What did the British do?  Set up the Chinese Protectorate in 1877  Increased the pay of policemen and provided training  Employed officers who could speak Chinese dialects and Malay  Set up Detective Branch (now known as CID) in 1862 to investigate secret society activities

Abuse of Immigrants

Problems of immigrants abuse  Mistreated by employers or coolie-agents.  Evidences:  Locked up in filthy conditions.  Worked under terrible conditions.  Often not paid for labour because of their heavy debts  Women made to become prostitutes to pay off their debts (p64)

(7) Thomas Dunman  (a) First Police Commissioner was Thomas Dunman  (b) Dunman set up Detective Branch to investigate on crimes that happened in the colony. This was later re-organised as Criminal Investigation Department [C.I.D.]  (c) The British raised the morale of its police force by increasing the salary of its peony policemen, and improved on the training and tactics in solving and preventing crimes.

(8) Education in the colony besides the British felt that the Chinese schools bred anti-British feelings  (a) The British were never too keen in setting up Chinese schools, because the British were not keen or in their interest to do so, and left it to the private organisations. [besides the British felt that the Chinese schools bred anti-British feelings] Early schools were mostly set up by the Catholic/Christian missionary schools.  (b) Public Health Department was set up in Modern sewage system was set up to clear dirty streets with well-drained drainage system and canals, built by convicts brought over from India.

(8) Public Health Service to prevent infectious disease such as cholera and small pox from spreading, a Quarantine Law was enacted  (c) to prevent infectious disease such as cholera and small pox from spreading, a Quarantine Law was enacted where all newly arrived immigrants would be checked by a doctor before being allowed to board at Clifford Pier. Those suspected of having the disease would be quarantined at St. John’s for a period of time to prevent them from spreading the disease.

What did the British do?  Set up the Chinese Protectorate in 1877 to protect these immigrants

Piracy

Problems of Piracy  Great danger to lives, property and trade of the merchant community of Singapore  Evidences:  Pirates attacked and looted trading shops coming in and out of Singapore  People either killed or sold as slaves

What did the British do?  Sent gunboats to patrol the waters and to destroy pirates’ ships and their hideouts

(9) Work of the Chinese Protectorate  (a) All Chinese societies to register with the CP  Settle quarrels among the different Chinese communities  Build good relations with the leaders of Chinese secret societies  Controlled coolie trade by registering coolie- agents and lodging houses  Ensured that immigrants are treated fairly  Provided shelter for those poorly treated as servants  (b) Set up “Po Leung Kuk” to rescue young girls from brothels / prostitution

Problems of the Chinese Protectorate  Fights continue to break out occasionally among the different gangs  Secret societies not gotten rid off completely  But powers of the secret societies were checked  Coolies and women were still abused as many did not come forward asking for help

Was the Chinese Protectorate effective?

Study the sources on page 76. How effective was William Pickering as the Protector of the Chinese? Explain your answer.

Problems faced by the British in 19 th Century Prevalence of the Chinese secret societies operating in Singapore.Acitvities: Schools and education was neglected by the British. Vernacular schools such as Madrasah were set up by the Malays. Health and public hygiene standards were bad. Such as: Existing conditions Action taken by the government Effects

Learning to P.E.E. Was Pickering respected by the secret societies?  Point : Issue? What is the matter? Was Pickering respected by the secret societies? No?  Evidence : View/Source/ words spoken? No? Because ‘he investigated on SS illegal activities’ (Line 3) ‘Ghee Hok’ resented Pickering clamping down on ‘gambling dens’ (Line 4)  Explanation: in your own words, what it means? Because it meant that profits/business would be affected …

Learning to P.E.E. Was Pickering or the SS chief more powerful?  Point : Issue? What is the matter? Was Pickering or the SS chief more powerful?  Evidence : View/Source/ words spoken?  SS chief … (Last line)  Explanation: in your own words, what it means? Because the SS members swore by a code of silence …