NAVAL BASE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 97, 24 March 1926, Page 7

NAVAL BASE.

CONDITIONS AT SINGAPORE. LONDON, March 22. During a debate in the House of Commons on the Navy Estimates, Mr C. G. Ammon (C.) asked why the floating dock for Singapore was being completed before the graving dock, as was first intended, and why tho Admiralty was not using an old German dock. Commander C. D. Burney (C.) asked, in view of the Imperial Conference, was it not possible for Labourites to reach an agreement with the Ministry in respect to Singapore, so that Dominion representatives would realise that even with a chango of Government their defence would be safeguarded. Lieutenant-Commander J. Ivenworthy (L.) urged that it was not too late for the Admiralty to reconsider its policy and base the Pacific fleet on Sydney instead of Singapore. Tho First Lord of the Admiralty (Mr W. Bridgeman) explained that it was easier to send out a new floating dock in sections to Singapore than to tow tho old German dock. —A. and N.Z. cable.

LABOUR GOVERNMENT’S ACTION

LONDON, March 23

In the Houso of Commons Commander Burney declared that tho Labour Government’s abandoning the Singapore base and simultaneously increasing the air vote for the defence of Britain had created an impression in tho Dominions that the Commons wero willing to vote money for the defence of England at tho expense of weakening the defence of the outer Empire.—A. and N.Z. cable.