EMPIRE NAVAL DEFENCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18706, 12 May 1924, Page 9

EMPIRE NAVAL DEFENCE

DOCKYARDS AS FACTOR. ;DISCUSSION ;IN COMMONS. A. and N.Z. ; LONDON, May 9. ; ■ The desirableness of the policy of disarmament on the one hand and the provision and equipment of dockyards on the other hand, were the main pointa debated during the discussion on the Naval Estimates in the House of '■ ■ Commons. The % Conservatives • persisted in ; empha- '< sising the v necessity for*: improving the Singapore dockyards; .j-.•>.'' - .'j Mr. L. C. Mr Amery, First Lord of the Admiralty in the Baldwin Cabinet, said there was an overwhelming case for the modernisation of &i least one dockyard east Of the Suez Canal, and there was no doubt which should be . chosen. s~h Mr. G. C. Ammon, Secretary of • the Admiralty, replying;-said the ■■■Govern-'', ment had , noted with greatest friendliness and pleasure - the „ U.S. • SehateV resolution regarding the ; Limitation of Armaments Conference. The Government would do everything possible to show a reciprocal desire on . the part of Britain' to enter into any such negotiations arid discussions. • ' ■ ' .'■''■■,' *' '--Admiralty experts were studying the question of how the development of va» higher offensive power in connection' with different weapons might materially alter the position of dockyards strategically.. ; One difficulty concerned the welfare of the 'population which gr<4w un:'. around, and was dependent upon existing dockyards. , ■'."■'.'■;" ..'".,'. 1 ' - : v Opinion had now altered ron all sides regarding the desirableness of adopting the Geddes Committee's suggestion to dispose of' the Pembroke dockyard, but the Admiralty was quite ready to sell Sheerness for commercial purposes! ; ; MR. , MacDONALD'S VIEWS. NAVY AND THE EMPIRE. A. and N.Z. ' LONDON, May The Prime Minister, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, accompanied ■by V Mr. J. v- H. Thomas, Secretary for the Colonics, made his first visit to the Empire Exhibition. In ,t>h;3 presence of ■ many. representatives of the British, colonial and foreign newspapers, he opened a l'rescj Club. / In his speech Mr. Mac Donald dwelt on tho Imperial importance of ' the Exhibition, and said ho was convinced it would succeed. He hoped that in a few months they might be able to provide an Empire wireless service which must be efficient and cheap, and directed by the best brains. '■■'..'■'. "'.'.y Referring to the forthcoming Naval review, he said that: even v greater in strength than the Navy was the. genius for freedom, moral power, and singleness of 'purpose.., ,-'■., •-- /. •'/ : ;>v;/' .'''-'.v