IN THE COMMONS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 283, 14 November 1929, Page 7

IN THE COMMONS

.17 HOURS’ SITTING 19 DIVISIONS ON PENSIONS BILL SLOWING DOWN SINGAPORE BASE. (United Press Association-By CableCopyright.) (Received 14, 11.30 a.m.) London, Nov. 13. j The House of Commons rose at 8.20 o’clock this morning after a seventeen hours’ sitting, of which sixteen were spent on the Pensions Bill debate. There were nineteen divisions. Mr. Neville Chamberlain, on behalf of the Opposition, promised to get the Bill through all its stages by Tuesday. Mr. A. Greenwood, Minister of Health, accepted the compromise, the Liberals assenting. Mr. A. V. Alexander said that the Government had decided to slow down work at the Singapore base as much as possible pending the Five Power conference.

Mr. F. G. Penny asked whether the dominions had been consulted. Mr. Alexander stated that they had been informed.

SINGAPORE CONSTRUCTION WORK

(British Official Wireless.) (Received 14. 11.30 a.m.) Rugby, Nov. 13.

In his announcement in the House of Commons concerning the naval base at Singapore, Mr. A. V. Alexander explained that the Government had given attention to the question of the continuation of construction work as soon as it had assumed office. In 1924 the previous Labour administration had decided not to proceed with the naval base at Singapore. Since that date, however, the action, of the late Conservative Government had altered the situation very materially. A floating dock had been provided at a heavy expense and in September, 1928, a contract had been signed for the building of a large graving dock at a cost of approximately £4,000,000. Moreover, the bulk of the expense had, up to the present time, been met by contributions from Hongkong the Federated Malay States and New Zealand. Their total contributions amounted to £2,112,000, together with the free gift of a site by the Straits Settlement. The decisions of the naval conference might affect the use of this base, and under these circumstances the Government had decided that the work already contributed for at Singapore was to be slowed'down as much as possible. All work that could be suspended should be suspended and no new work should be embarked upon.