SINGAPORE DEFENCES

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 65, 19 March 1925, Page 5

SINGAPORE DEFENCES

CONSIDERED BY IMPERIAL

COMMITTEE.

(UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATES—COPrRIQBT.)

if.EUTEB 8 m.EGRAM.)

LONDON, 17th March. In the House of Commons, replying to Commander j. M. Kenworthy (Lib.), Sir L. Worthington Evans, Secretary of War, said the question of the defences required to protect the Singapore Base was stil] being considered by the Committee of Imperial Defence. It was impossible to make a statement at present in regard to the cost or the date of commencing work on them. The question as to whether the present defences were sufficient or mast be increased would depend on the committee's report.

Brigadier-General H. C. Brown (Con.') asked whether the Government would consider approaching Australia- and New Zealand with a view to their helping. Sir L. Worthington Evans said that did not arise out of the question.

The Navy Estimates, introduced in the House of Commons last week, contained reference to the cost of the Singapore Naval Base, which may be summarised as follows:— '£ ' Naval Base— Already spentX 75,000 Allocation this year 250,000 Future expenditure 9,089,C00 ..„ , „ £9,414,000 Oil Fuel StoreAlready spent 872,000 Allocation this year 14,433 Future expenditure 188,700 I £1,075,133 The naval correspondent of the London "Evening News," writing in December, said the expenditure on the Naval Base was estimated at £10,500.. 000, made up as follows: — Wharves, basins, railways, and roads 5,100,000 Graving dock 1,000,000 Buildings 420,000 Workshops and storehouses ... 1,780,000 Magazines 1,000,000 Contingencies 1,200,000

With reference to the contributions Australia, and New Zealand are likely to make towards the cost of the base, the First Lord of the Admiralty stated on 11th December that before the plans were suspended (by the Labour Government), the Commonwealth and the Dominion had expressed their willingness to contribute. Their contributions, he said, would still be welcome, but it would be necessary for them to review the matter in the light of their present financial commitments for naval defence.