SINGAPORE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 2 August 1924, Page 5

SINGAPORE

CONTROVERSY REVIVED. CON SERVATIVE ATTEMPT. ill' CABLE--PSKSB ASSOCIATION-- COP!AiUKLONDON, July 31. Ihe Conservatives again attempted to reverse the Singapore naval Da.se decision, when :Hr. i.,. Aniery, in tne Mouse of Commons, moved a reduction in the naval vote as a protest against tiie Government's naval, programme. Mr Ainety urged a comprehensive scheme, of replacement and the reversal of the decision in regard to Singapore, tne importance of which, he said, does not lie m the Pacific, nut in the Indian (Jceaii, which it won id effectually cover from an outside invasion.

Mr J. M. Kemvorohy (Liberal; thought the Governtneint was absolutely right. He believed there would lie a Liberal and Democratic movement in .Japan, which would respond to the invitation to a. disarmament conference.

Mr C. Bcllnirs (Liberal) expressed the opinion that if we were to bear this burden of armaments, the Dominions ought to help us. Mr C. G. Ammon (Secretary to the Admiralty) said the Premier (Mr Ramsay MacDonald) was fully occupied with other matters, but as soon as possible every step would he taken to convene an international conference. Meantime, the Government would maintain what .it considered the right margin of safety without doing anything which might be considered provocative. All the Washington signatories had abided by their agreement, and nobody had made a greater reduction than Britain. Mr Ammon saw no reason for a levision of the Singapore question, ancl denied that there was strong feeling in Australia, where there was a division of opinion on the matter. He pointed out that in view of the distance of Australia from Japan, it was not so easy for the latter to wreak its will on Australia as might lie thought. Mr Ammon said the Singapore question gave Mr MacDonald something to bargain with, and, failing a satisfactory decision, w© would regretfully have to establish a base there.

Mr Amery’s motion was lost by 228 votes ta 182.