THE EMPIRE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLIV, Issue XLIV, 10 June 1924, Page 5

THE EMPIRE.

WEAKENING THE L&sKS

BRITISH GOVERNMENT CON-

DEMNED.

BY GA.SIiE-PEESS ASBOCIATION-<lol?fi&lGHT

i JLONDON, '$mn 8. -A letter published in the Times from the Hon. iklwa-pd Newman, -a, member of <fche Legislative Council of 3tfew Zealand, says: "If any party ©i- parties in JBngland desi^d to weak<«i the link •feinding the Jknpire they dbuld not devise a better method of «» doing than the course adopted by thei Imperial Crovernme»S> during 4&ie last few months, first by the action in regard to preference, and now ia^what appears to ibe the fieal abandonnscnt of the Singapore base." The letter adds: *^Rightly or wrongly, thos© parts of ifee Empire bounded by the Pacific consider a base essential to their protection. This opinion is founded on reports given by the highest naval authorities. It is the custom in ibis country to laugh at the 'yellow peril,' but Australia and New Zealand are inclined to ttake a different view. These countries are nearer what will probably be the danger zone In the oaext war than is England, and know a little more about the* subject. There-. j fore, I venture to state that the action or the Government in disposing of the I giant assembled for construction at Singapore will be strongly condemned fey many loyal Australians and New Zealanders."