TEN THOUSAND WORKERS AT THE BRITISH NAVAL BASE IN SINGAPORE WENT ON STRIKE AT MIDNIGHT ON SUNDAY, FOLLOWING A DEADLOCK BETWEEN THE NAVAL BASE LABOUR UNION AND THE ADMIRALTY ON THE WORKER'S CLAIMS FOR BETTER PAY AND WORKING CONDITIONS.

A NAVAL SPOKESMAN SAID ALL EMERGENCY WORK AT THE DOCKYARD WILL CONTINUE DESPITE THE STRIKE BY THE INDUSTRIAL WORKERS. EVERY EFFORT WOULD BE MADE TO MAINTAIN NORMAL SERVICES.

MOST OF THE STRIKERS HAVE THEIR LIVING QUARTERS INSIDE THE BASE. NOW WITH THE STRIKE ON, NAVAL POLICE HAVE TAKEN AWAY THEIR PASSES AND REFUSED THEM ENTRANCE. MEANWHILE, NAVAL PERSONNEL ARE ENGAGED IN CLEANING BOGGED DRAINS INSIDE THE BASE.

THE NAVAL BASES WHICH IS A FENCED AREA COVERING SOME THREE THOUSAND ACRES, WAS BUILT SHORTLY AFTER WORLD WAR ONE. CONSTRUCTION DID NOT START UNTIL 1924 AND THE DOCKYARD WAS OPENED IN 1937. ABOUT GBP2,500,000 STERLING A YEAR ARE PAID OUT IN SALARIES TO THE LOCALLY EMPLOYED WORKERS - MAINLY INDIANS.

ON TUESDAY POLICE ARRESTED 17 "COMMUNIST UNITED FRONT" TRADE UNION LEADERS -- INCLUDING THREE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT -- BECAUSE IT IS ALLEGED THEY "PLOTTED TO SEIZE POWER BY CREATING WIDESPREAD DISORDER AND CHAOS" A MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID. THE ARRESTS CAME AS A GENERAL STRIKE -- ALREADY INVOLVING NEARLY 60,000 WORKERS -- THREATENED TO CRIPPLE SINGAPORE'S INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE.