SINGAPURE BASE

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12094, 23 March 1925, Page 7

SINGAPURE BASE

WBRK WILL BE RESUMED COMMONS APPROVES SPENDING OF £250,000 THIS YEAR. LABOUR PARTY HOSTILE. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Reuter’s Telegram. LONDON,* March 20. In the House of Commons, Mr W. O. Bridgeman (First Lord of the Admiralty), introducing the Navy Estimates, explained that the increase of nearly £6,000,000 was due partly to the fact that the Estimates had been excessively cut down by the Labour Government, with the lesult that leeway had to be made up. All obligations under the Washington Treaty had been carried out in advance of the time limit, but not without difficulty. No large scale manoeuvres beyond the ordinary fleet exercises were being carried out. The tour of the Special Service Squadron had enabled the dominions to realise the heavy burden the Mother Country was bearing m regard to the Navy. THE DOMINIONS’ HELP. Tho programme as regards Singapore was to establish the ex-German floating dock, recently at Portsmouth, in the old Straits. A quarter of a million was earmarked for expenditure on tho base this year. The First Lord thanked Australia and New Zealand for endeavouring to bear their share. He said that the fact that those dominions had diverted the money to other purposes when the Labour Government dropped the Singaport proposal did not mean that they had altered their minds respecting the value of the base. READY FOR DISARMAMENT. Replying to a question regarding President Coolidge’s proposal for a disarmament conference, he said: —“We would be only too glad if it were possible and compatible with the security of this country to arrange for anything that would lessen the cost of armaments. Everything we are doing is in accordance with the Washington Agreement, outside of. which we do not desire to go. “It is nonsense to say,” he continued, “that our ac-' tion is provocative. We have no lust of conquest or desire for more territory. All wo want is to develop our territories and trade.” COST OF FLOATIN G DOCK. The exact size of the floating dock for Singapore had! not yet been settled, but it had to be a large enoiigh dock for the largest battleships. Therefore, it was necessary to extend the size, which would cost £300,000. Most 01 the work of enlargement would be done in Britain before the dock left for Singapore. It would take three years to complete it, and the amount required to be Gpent on the floating dock, getting it in place, and making the necessary roads, etc., was estimated at £757,000. The full programme, including a graving dock, was stiH being considered. “MOST DEPLORABLE.” Mr Ramsay Macdonald (Leader ol the Opposition) defended the aotion of the Labour Government in holding up ! the work at Singapore, on the ground ' that a period of examination was absolutely necessary, not merely from the viewpoint of national safety but from that of the taxpayer. The result of that gesture was the Geneva Protocol. He asked what was the objective of the base at Singapore, seeing that America and Japan were both friendly. Experts and theoretical views ought not to dominate the mind. H e saw not the slightest reason why there should not be a substantial reduction in the Navy Estimates similar to that olj, last year. He expressed the view that the Government’s decision in relatiop to Singapore was most deplor. able, as it might upset the whole equanimity of the East. The House, agreed to the Estimates without a division, after rejecting a motion by. Commander Kenworthy (L.) to reduce the personnel of the Navyic