SINGAPORE BASE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 17 November 1926, Page 5

SINGAPORE BASE

CONTRACT LET FOR FLOATING DOCK DOMINION CONTRIBUTIONS TO NAVY (Received 17ih Nov. 1.5 p.m.) LONDON, IGI h Nov. Upon yesterday’s little Hash of frank interchanges during Mr Bruce’s speech on Imperial defence, coupled with the fact that a- contract was Jet to-day for building the Singapore floating dock, a section of tho B.ritish Press built a fullblown story that the Premiers had been asked how much they were prepared to pay towards Singapore base.

It- is learned that the minor issue has been mistaken for the major, and that, as previously cabled, Downing Street Ins raised the whole question of a more equitable distribution of the cost of Empire defence, in which Singapore’s cost of £11,000,000 spread over ten years is a li-ere incile.it alongside the bulk toial of the Navy estimates. It ‘s true a suggestion lias been made to the dominions for annual coi.tribn tions, to wliirli South Africa, and the Irish Free State are displaying certain aloofness, and Canada a degree of lies'-, taricy, while New Zealand and India are

cordially sympathetic and Australia disposed to weigh the possibilities in the light, of her own diroct naval expenditure.

In this connection it is gathered that Mr Brace's recital of the Common wealth's defence enterprise considerably in pressed tlie Conference and rather ere phasised the force of Britain’s hint that other units might shoulder" some of the burden.

There is no thought, as -has been suggested, that within the next week the Frimc Minister’s will sit round the table aid thrash out some scale of contributions.

DEFENCE DISCUSSION ENDED

(Reteivcd 17th Nov., 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, lGlh Nov.

Actually ihe discussion on Imperial Defence -has ended and, having burned tho facts and seen for themselves, the Premiers v/iil go hack to their own Cabinets to discuss whatever ihiir response be—gesture or gift. From two high-placed authorities tonight came a similar assurance that the thing which most .nattered was the hope of a satisfactory result on interImperial relations.which the Prime Ministers discussed this morning. It will probably he early next week before an official' disclosure is made, but the optimistic hint is “We think we made a very good show on it.” -0 V ERSE AS SETTLEM ENT (Received 17th- Nov., 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, 16th Nov. On Thursday the plenary meeting is expected to issue the Migrations Committee’s report, which will deal with group settlement and training settlers. The prevailing belief is that the report contains" a fair amount of generalisation, but a foregone conclusion is that specific unit proposals in the case of Australia will be remitted to the -Migration Department for the closest scrutiny. It has largely been a case of exploring the possibilities and saving the Anglo-Australian thirty-four million scheme from fiasco.

AUSTRALIAN BEAM STATION

-Mr Bruce completed the. discussions with the Post Office on Australia controlling the beam station. The Post Office reply has not been received, but it is predicted it will be a refusal. AUSTRALIAN REPRESENTATIVE AT GENEVA•

Mr Bruce, before departure, will consider whether it is advisable to have a permanent League representative at Geneva, similar-to Canada- and Ireland.