Governor Sir Lawrence Guillemard conceived the idea of bringing people together from the Malaya peninsula and Borneo for the purpose of enhancing trade and other mutual benefits.
"It was also felt that the opportunity was a fitting one for the exhibition, by the commercial and foreign communities, of imported goods in illustration of the varied trade activities of this country in general, and of the great exchange port of Singapore in particular.
"[1] The Straits Budget described the details of the Planning and Layout of the site situated on reclaimed land adjacent to the Telok Ayer Basin in Singapore.
Then again, a groan of concrete cylinders have been turned to advantage for they have been surrounded with granite stones and filled up with earth and are now in process of being converted into a picturesque rock garden.
The many details of the planning might lend one at first to imagine that it is a garden city that is in course of construction rather than a trade exhibition, for numerous picturesque features are being arranged.
A number of pleasant trees not far from Telok Ayer have been “planted” so as to form an attractive oval filled with foliage, and in the centre of which will he erected a grandstand.
To the left the main avenue bordered by exhibits will lead to the Telok Ayer market and on the right to the stadium, teagardens, Chinese and Arabian sections and the wayang and theatre grouped around Mount Palmer.