THE SINGAPORE BASE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18584, 17 December 1923, Page 9

THE SINGAPORE BASE.

PROJECT IN JEOPARDY.

POL IT EVENTS TO DECIDE

' THE NEXT GOVERNMENT. RECONSIDERATION OF SCHEME. Bx Tel«n*tot—Pr«s« Awociat'oa— (Received 3.6 p.m.) Sun. LONDON, Dec. 14. The Admiralty denies that the Government has decided to abandon the Singapore naval base, but admits that it will be open for a new Government to reconsider the scheme for which £200,000 has already been voted. The political correspondent of the Daily Mail asserts that the Government now realises there is little prospect of the Singapore scheme going forward. The cancellation of Lord Cavan's tour is regarded as indicating that the Government does not expect to remain long in office after January 8. In other quarters the opinion is expressed that another election is not likely within six months. It is conceivable that a three-party system may continue for years, although the country to-day considers it an anomaly to have a Government not possessing the confidence of the majority of the House of Commons. The King gave an audience to Mr. Baldwin, who communicated his desire to remain in office and meet Parliament. No immediate change is foreshadowed.

AUSTRALIAN OPINION.

FEELING OF DISAPPOINTMENT Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association. (Seed. 4.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, Dee. 14. Mr. H. Mackinnon, Australian Trade Commissioner, told the New York Bond Club that Australia would be disappointed if Britain abandoned the Singapore naval base project. Fifty years must elapse before the population of Australia would be strong enough to dispense with protection. He feared that the cancellation of the Earl of Cavan's tour indicated that Britain was abandoning the Singapore project.