SINGAPORE BASE SCHEME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18762, 16 July 1924, Page 9

SINGAPORE BASE SCHEME.

BRITISH * ABANDONMENT.

THE ACTION DEFENDED.

DISCUSSION BY THE- LoIrDS.

By Telegraph—Preiia Association— Copyright.

(Eeceived 10.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON. July 14.

In the Hotise of Lords, Viscount Chelmsford, First Lord of the Admiralty, in reply to a question, said that the Government was not standing- still in, reference to the Singapore base. It was still exploring the situation, and had been doing so since Mr. Mac Donald's statement on the subject on March 18. The United States, Japan, France and Italy must be considered if the Washington pact were to bo added to. The Earl of Balfour: That is a most

extraordinary attitude. The Washington pact does not affect the Singapore base.

Viscount Haldane, Lord High Chancellor, admitted that Singapore was wholly outside the boundary the Washington Treaty. He also admitted the displeasure of Australia and New Zealand at the Government's decision to abandon the base scheme. The question was the effect on the British Government's general foreign policy, of the establishment of a new base, which might be an instrument of offence as well as of defence—something dominating the whole Pacific. Tho Government was endeavouring to keep the navy efficient, continued Lord Haldane, but Singapore went beyond that. It added a new weapon, which it was not good for the navy to possess. The establishment of a new base was irreconcilable with the Government's foreign policy, which aimed at making the'world better. That policy might fail, but it was the policy oa which, the Government meant to stand or fall. The Marquis of Linlithgow said the country had not been treated fairly in reference to Singapore. Ho expressed the opinion that the abandonment of the base scheme was more a gesture to the Labour extremists than to any foreign Power.