THE SINGAPORE BASE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 220, 13 August 1930, Page 6

THE SINGAPORE BASE.

Brief though his references to the Singapore naval base were, when speaking oil Imperial affairs in Parliament on Monday afternoon, Mr Eorbes endorsed the view that New Zealand should maintain her contributions to this essential undertaking. For the reason that the question will be thoroughly discussed at the Imperial Conference, Mr Forbes contended that it would be premature to discuss it at any length now. But in stating the policy of his Government he spoke with conviction for the need of a base in the Pacific. “The Government. and I think the people of New Zealand,” ho said, “have been impressed with the necessity for a base in the Pacific from which the British Fleet could operate should the occasion unhappily arise. *Ve have shown the importance that we attach to this question by a substantial annual contribution towards iiie cost of the base of £125,000 with a maximum of £1,000,000, and we have in no wise altered our opinion in that respect.” To-day there exists in the Dominion a paramount need for economy in administration and in other avenues of expenditure by the State, but it would be false economy if we were to withdraw our assistance to the Motherland towards the cost of this base on this score. Our existence depends on the British Navy; if it were crippled we would be left in the air so far as our defence is concerned, and at the mercy of a belligerent nation. At the present time the capital ships of the navy cannot operate in the Pacific because there is no base with adequate docking- facilities, even in case of accidents. It does not, therefore, require much imagination to visualise the position in the event of war. In liis farewell report to the Commonwealth Parliament as Inspector-General of the Military l 1 orces, Sir Harry Chauvel made pointed reference to the position Australia is in today from the defence standpoint, '"iiie Commonwealth,” he said, “is the most sparsely populated portion of the Empire, anti, therefore, occupies the position of greatest danger in time of war. All these disarmament agreements and peace gestures have tended to reduce tlie British sea power below the minimum required for the safeguarding of Imperial interests, and thus diminish the degree of security of isolated parts of the Empire.” Earl Beatty and Earl Jellicoe have pointed out the danger of so far disarming as to imperil the safety of the Empire in time of war, and the statement made in 1923 by Mr S. M. Bruce (then Prime Minister of the Commonwealth) —that Singapore is for Australia a vital necessity—applies with greater force to-day. The decision of the Government to continue the annual contributions commenced by the Reform Party will be commended. The payment is an insurance against disaster in the future.