SINGAPORE BASE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 9 December 1924, Page 7

SINGAPORE BASE.

SIR GEORGE FENWICK’S VIEWS. by cable—press association—copyright. Received Dec. 9, 1.50 p.m. SYDNEY', Dec. 9. Sir George Fenwick stated that the leading newspaper proprietors in Britain are looking forward with keen interest to the approaching meeting of the Imperial Press Conference to be held in Australia-. The-gathering will be one of the most important of its kind yet held. The delegates’ visit to New •Zealand will be entirely informal and of a social character. Mr. George Fenwick while in London attended a meeting of the Chambers of Commerce of the Empire. The question of preference to the Dominions was discussed and there was hardly a dissentient voice raised against the principle. With the return to power of the Baldwin Ministry, he said, the whole question assumed a different form. Undoubtedly a decision for Imperial conference would now be given effect to, and without much, delay. There was no: doubt now that the political future of Britain is in better hands. Trade will revive. The Labour Ministry had a dampening effect on trade, but, now greater confidence is expressed., There was -also a keener desire to put capital into ventures which would have been shunned under Labour rule ' Another matter of the' utmost import-! ance to Australia and New Zealand,' concluded Sir George Fenwick, is the Singapore base. The general feeling, manifested after the victory of the Conservative Party had taken place, was that the Singapore base would be: established. There was little doubtin his mind that it would be carried into effect almost immediately.