SINGAPORE BASE

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 25, 30 January 1924, Page 7

SINGAPORE BASE

WILL LABOUR DROP IT?

(AUSIRALIAN-NEW ZEALAND CABI.E ASSOCIATION.) LONDON, 29th January. The "Daily Herald" says regarding the Singapore base that its attention has been 'drawn to a speech by Mri J. H. Hudson, M.P. for Lfucjclersfieid, who sfiid that the Government woulcl make it clear that tlie expenditure on this project must end, thus giving new

confidence to America, and 'Holland, •which regarded Britain's activities in that quarter with suspicion. The. cor_esp.ond,ent proceeds: "A Cabinet decision of this character will.come as no surprise to the Labour movement ..or : to' tho .general public. Hitherto naval chiefs, notably Lord Beatty, have opposed the efforts to step .this-project, apd hay.c suggested tliat the "decißion might lead to one or two resiguations at the Admiralty, •but these would not cause one-sixteenth part of -tlie stir that -the Pall *Ma*ll .clubs _.imagine. 'The .scheme js -regiiEd,ed ,as Siiiling near the wjnd in view .of Wiishington a_gr.eeme.nt, and the .cost j$ exceedingly lai-ge jn view of the country's financial stress, even -were its -usefulness proven, \yhich is far from the .case. .Competent critics, have stated .tliat the cost would be at1 least £20,000,----000, apart from t*he subsequent npkeep. J';