SINGAPORE BASE.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18041, 5 April 1924, Page 7

SINGAPORE BASE.

MR MASSEY'S VIEWS SUPPORTED. At a meeting of the Canterbury branch of the Navy League, held on Thursday evening, it was decided to support Mr Massey in his advocacy for an efficient and up-to-date naval base at Singapore. "It is certainly a matter of Empire importance," said Mr J. J. Dougall, the chairman. "We get two experts supporting it and two admirals condemning it." Mr Massey and -<ir Bruce were both very decided on the question. Singapore certainly lay across the trade routes of the East and the West. Major-General A. W. Andrew said his opinions were in line with those of the Labour Party at Home. The Labour Partv did not think that they were justified" in spending £10,000,000 for what they called strategical reasons: moreover, that they were not justified in spending that" sum in this time of economic distress at Home. At Hong Kong there was a strong naval base with three docks, workshops required for repairing, and arsenals for storing all munitions and all machinery for removing guns up to 100 tons in weight. The Labour Party in Britain- had a chance now of bringing about a better condition of things in the Pacific, which might save any more expenditure on a naval base.

Major-General Andrew then went on to sketch the development of the Pacific Powers and traced the history of past wars, agreeing that Japan was really aiming to secure control of the Orient. Japan was in a difficult position, hecause a Chinaman could work ten Japanese to death in a week. The Japanese were the poorest of workmen. They had stamina, but were not workers. The Japanese would not go to Manchuria, because he could not compete with the Chinese. Unfortunately the Japanese nicked on New Zealand, Australia and America as places to which to migrate. The only eastern sea that Japan did not largely control was the China Spa. Tt could not annex the Philippines because of America. There was no immediate necessity for a Singapore hnse. hut if America abandoned the Philiupines Japan's next step would the Dutch ArchineUgo, and then British T>o«=essions would hn menaced. Mr T'. H. Foctnr remarked that it looked ns if M.f>ior-Genernl Andrew wanted to stnrj the expenditure on nrmaments till war was nearly breakin" - out. Major-General Andrew : Oh, no! I don't' believe that we should wait till th« <runs are firing. Mlowinsr motion was then moved hv Mr Foster pud can-ied unanimously: —"Thnt. this league views with pleasure the support of Mr Massev to the Admiralty towards n Sinsrnno;-* hasn for the promotion of the Pacific anr T world peace."