SINGAPORE BASE

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 50, 27 August 1924, Page 5

SINGAPORE BASE

NOTENGLISH POLITICS

„ V ... . -, .; HON~ EDWARD--"-. NEWMAN'S - • • t- ;

. (FROM OUB OWN CORtIESPONDENT.) 1. . . ■•■.■-. LONDON, 11th June. A statement lias appeared in tha Press to the effect that, the whole of . the plantj which was to be used :• in connection with the.base at Singapore is-to. be sold. This has inspired the Hon. Edward Newman; M.L.C:, to write a letter.of protest to "The Times," in whicht ho maintains that the ques- ". tion is hot one of English, -politics but of Imperial politics. '■■'.'. ; "If any party or pafties in England," he writes, "desired to weaken the plinks which bifid tlie Empire, .they could not devise a ■ better-■ method' of so - doing _ than the course adopted by ihe ' Imperial Government during the hst few months—first,- by their action in regard to 'tariff preference,1 and now in\ what appears to be the final abandon- -, ment of the Singapore Naval 'Base,, whereby they have directly flouted pub- '" lie opinion in Australia and New Zealand. Rightly or wrongly.,1 those parts . of the Empire which are bounded' by the Pacific Ocean consider the Singapore Base a necessity for-.their protec- ' tion. This opinion is founded on reports giveiiby the-highest, authorities on the subject of naval defence, and is strongly held by the people of Australia, ■ and New Zealand especially;, / Within ■' the ;last few,years these countries, have demonstrated at. great cos Wi- life „arid property their loyalty to'-the. Empire", ' and more, recently they have, by resolu-. ', tions passed as. the Imperial .Conference,' affii-med -that they desired closer union with the Motherland. Now' we read 'in the papers that.the whole plant 'at '-, Singapore is to be sold. . . - ■

"I fully, recognise that no colonial has a right, to. interfere with .English politics; butthis is not English- politics, it is Imperial politics; and, in my judgment, a citizen of Wellington or Sydney has' just,as much light to'a:.voice in Imperial questions as a citizen of London or Edinburgh. So I venture; to state that this action of the Government, in disposing of the^plant at Singapore, will' give great- offence' to many loyal people in the Australian States, and New . ZealancL .

•"When the matter was before the House of Commons, the" feeling apparently was that in not proceeding with, the establishment of the Singapore Naval Base at the present time the (Government was really only holding the questioiiMn abeyance until tilings Settled after the 'war.' ; If. the plant' is sold, it means enormously increased expense, to .resume the. interrupted work. It is the custom in this., country .'to laugh at the 'Yellow Peril.' Australia, and New Zealand are inclined to take a different view. These countries are

nearer what probably will be the'dan-\ ger zone .in. the next Avar than Eng-r land is, and they know ajittle more about the subject than niost English people do. Is it too late to hope thatthe protests of the "Commonwealth' of .' Australia and the Dominion of New ' Zealand; may evetu now1; obtain con- - sideration, insofar,' at least, that tha plant nt Singapore may be preserved intact for a little .longer?" ■".'' :'.'.'.'. ' \ -. SEE FOR YOURSELF. -.To-day, Mr. M. Lee, of' Sidney, follows up Mr. Newm.-lh's letter with the' suggestion that the; . Government,'./be-'. fore finally disposing of this great; Imperial question should elect one of-their number who has never been beyond the British Isles to go to the East and have a look round, starting from Smga: - v , pore to do so. That centre is just as valuable to the British-to-day as it was in. ; the .days ,of Stamford-Raffles— even more : so.. Let thel traveller go through Java and see what thu Dutch ' :

are doing at Surabaya, and stay there long enough to realise the. spirit of that , work. Let him then visit all. British, ports, inquire into the history of. the* Pacific Islands, .and how many are-lost' to the British now through past ignor-■ ance of .their worth; and then let him • go to Australia and New Zealand* to find out why they, are worth while to the Empire. '... ' ■ ; '■'-■:■.■ .

"If the Empire is to continue a 'niarvel' in the world's history,' then it would be well that while legislating for domestic troubles the members of ..the ~ > Government should spare some time; to cast their eyes to Imperial ne£ds. Like Air. Newman, I wouloV again remind, them that the Dominions all round the •world thought the Empire worth fighting •'for. After all, the wheels of- industry here can only be kept' going by export trade, so if the workers are to be kspt-in employment trade's.routes'.-, must be protected—hence the need for a i Singapore Base. Wo people from, the other, 'side1 cannot always consent to remain silent witnesses of what, we consider foolishness. It Would-be-.veryni" r terestinir to know, what is to be the destination of the .'Singapore plant if sold." .. ■ "■ • '