BRITISH FORCES IN MALAYA

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26094, 22 April 1950, Page 7

BRITISH FORCES IN MALAYA

Suggested Help From Dominions QUESTION IN HOUSE OF COMMONS (N.Z.P.A.—Router—Copyright)

LONDON, April 20. The Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations (Mr Patrick Gordon-Walker), replying to Mr A. A. Low (Conservative) in the House of Commons to-day, said the Government had noticed with the greatest interest newspaper reports of a statement made by the Prime Minister of Australia (Mr Menzies) about help in Mateya. “Members will appreciate that I cannot at this time properly divulge information about communications which may be passing between the United Kingdom and the Government of Australia on this subject,” he said. Mr Low: Does that mean that the Government has not previously made any requests to the Australian Government for its help in Malaya, and is this not rather extraordinary in view of the importance of real Commonwealth unity, particularly in this most important area of the world?

Mr Gordon-Walker: I think Mr Low will realise that requests of this sort are not made between one country and another in the Commonwealth. There are always elaborate consultations on these matters beforehand. I do not think I should add anything more.

Mr L. D. Dammane (Conservative): In view of the very forthright and welcome statement made by Australia in which they appear to be mildly critical of the United Kingdom Government, is the Minister considering asking for their help and co-opera-tion. not only in Malaya but in the whole defence of the Far East, including Hong Kong? Mr Gordon-Walker: That is just the sort of question I should not be asked to answer until there is agreement between us and Australia.

He added in reply to Air Commodore A. V. Harvey (Conservative) that, there was no need for a Commonwealth conference on this matter. That would mean great delay Statement by Mr Holland

Mr Raymond Blackbum (Labour) asked if the Minister knew that the Prime Minister of New Zealand (Mr Holland) had made a similar statement to that of Mr Menzies. “Will you impress on Mr Attlee the tremendous value of a statement from him as soon'as might be?” he asked. Earlier a Defence Ministry spokesman had denied a report in the "Daily Mail” that the United States, the Dominions, and the colonies may be asked to take over the bulk of Britain’s ground defence commitments outside Europe next year. He described the report as without foundation, and declared that no discussions on any such proposals had taken place. The “Daily Mail” report states: "The Dominions, the colonies and the United

States are likely to be asked to take over next year the bulk of the ground defence commitments of Great Britain outside Europe. Backstage discussions on these proposals have been conducted for months. Two days ago the Australian Prime Minister (Mr Menzies) said his country ‘would seriously consider any request from the British Government for help in Malaya? “Last week-end the French Foreign Minister (Mr Robert Schuman) pleaded at the Western Union conference for ‘redistribution of the financial and man-power burden of defence proportionate to the resources of the member States of the Western Union.’ “Issue Clear Cut” "The issue is clear cut,” adds the “Daily Mail.” “Military demands made on Britain under the Western Union defence plan call for at least two corps, each of two divisions, to be available immediately on the Continent once the threat of war becomes concrete.” The “Daily Mail” adds that the Ministry of Defence and the War Office have admitted that these four divisions are not available now, and that with present military commitment overseas it is impossible to state when they will be ready. "At the moment the effective British troops available fpr Western European defence falls short of two divisions. New proposals now being discussed py the planning committees would result in a two-thirds reduction of British troops in Hong Kong and Malays, their places being taken by yohmtecr forces from Australia and New Zealand. „ . ~ „ ♦ “Eritrea, the Middle East, and North Africa would be garrisoned On similar proportions by troops possibly drawn, from South Africa and by native troops from East Africa and West Africa. It is hoped in view of the great importance of Saudi Arabia w the United States that American mili- . tary forces might also be sent to share in its ground defence. Any assurance that Canada would send a division to Britain or Europe on a future D-Day would enable the Western Union defence plans to be strengthened.”