SINGAPORE NAVAL BASE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22405, 29 April 1936, Page 17

SINGAPORE NAVAL BASE

TRIUMPH OF CONSTRUCTION DOMINION ENGINEER'S VISIT [from our own correspondent] "WHANGAREI, Tuesday "I was privileged to inspect the Singapore naval base, and as an engineer I would like to pay a tribute to the .wonderful engineering skill displayed in its construction," said Mr. R. H. Packwood, district engineer of the Public Works' Department at Whangarei, when proposing the toast of the fighting services at the reunion of the Empire Ex-Service Association at Whangarei. Mr. Packwood recently returned from a comprehensive tour overseas, which included Malta and Gibraltar The Singapore base, added Mr. Packwood, was truly an engineering triumph and showed that in this branch of activity the British nation had not deteriorated. From what he saw in his travels he could not but think of what an awful war the next might be. In Italy he saw a mobilisation of terrific military power. He assured those present that if the British Navy was below par in. numbers its. efficiency was never higher. "Several men from England have recently visited New Zealand and have been anxious to know what this Dominion could do again should another Expeditionary Force be needed," said Commander C. H. T. Palmer, R.N.V.R., of Auckland, in iesponding to the toast. He. added the hope that it would never again be necessary to send troops overseas.