U.S. NAVY BILL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 21, 25 January 1934, Page 7

U.S. NAVY BILL.

PASSED TO SENATE.

284,747,000 Dollars Allotted

For Next Year.

CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMME.

(United P.A.—Electric Telegraph-Copyright)

(Received 11 a.m.) WASHINGTON, January 24. The Appropriation Bill, carrying 284,747,000 dollars for the Navy in the next fiscal year, was passed by the House of Representatives to-day and sent to the Senate.

The Naval Construction Bill was previously approved by the unanimous vote of the 18 members of the NaVal Committee of the House, and its early passage was predicted.

During the sitting Mr. F. A. Britten alleged that a group within the Navy Department was attempting to block the development of flying deck cruisers.

Admiral Staiidlev replied that such cruisers were experimental, and urged that they should first build up the ordinary cruiser strength.

SINGAPORE PARLEY.

UTMOST SECRECY OBSERVED

LONDON, January 24,

A message from Singapore states that no official statement is available in regard to the proceedings on the first day of the Naval Conference. An indication of the intention to maintain secrecy is contained in Vice-Admiral Drever's order prohibiting the presence of journalists oil board the flagship.

In a leading article emphasising the weakness of Britain's naval forces in the Pacific and the Far East, the "Daily Telegraph" recalls the fact that the United States and Japan claimed a free hand after the expiry of the Washington Treaty. This reduced the British Navy to the one-Power standard.

The forward naval policy of America and Japan, says the paper, need not be injurious to the interests of the British Empire, but it is clear that the time has come for careful reconsideration of what is essential to Imperial defence at Singapore.