SINGAPORE BASE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3672, 29 July 1924, Page 25

SINGAPORE BASE.

HON. EDWARD NEWMAN’S PROTEST. , , , , LONDON, June 11. A statement has appeared in the press to the effect that the whole of the plant which was to be used in connection with the base at Singapore is to be sold. This inspired (he Hon. Edward Newman, mi Vb” *° . wrl te a letter of protest to ihe limes, in which he maintains that the question is not ope of English politics but of Imperial politics. “If any party or parties in England ” he wntes, “desired to weaken the link? which bind the Empire, they could net devise a better method of so doing than the course adopted by the Imperial Government during the last few months—first, by their action in regard to tariff preference, and now in what appears to be the. final abandonment of the SingaporeNaval Base whereby they have directly flouted public opinion in Australia and New Zealand. Rightly or wrongly, thoso parts of the Empire which are bounded by the Pacific Ocean consider tho Singapore base a necessity for their protection This opinion is founded on reports given by the highest authorities on the subject of naval defence, and is strongly held by the people of Australia and New Zealand especially. Within the last few years these countries have demonstrated at great eosL in life and property their loyalty to the Empire, and more recently they have, by resolutions passed at the Imperial Conference, affirmed that they desired closer union with the Motherland. Now we read in the papers that the whole plant at Singapore is to be sold. “T fully recognise that, no colonial has a right to interfere with English politics, but this is not English politics, it is Imperial politics; anti, in my judgment, a citizen of Wellington or Sydney has just as much right to a voice in Imperial questions as a citizen of London or ramburgh. So I venture to stale that this action of the Government, in disposing of the plant at Singapore, will give great offence to many loyal people; in the Australian States and New Zealand. "When the. matter was before the House of Commons the feeling apparently was that in not proceeding with the establishment of the Singapore Naval Base at the present time the Government was really only holding the question in abeyance until things settled after the war. If the plant is sold, it means enormously increased expense to resume the interrupted work. It is the custom in this country to laugh at the ‘Yellow Peril.’ Australia and New Zealand are inclined to take a different view. These countries are nearer what probably will be the danger zone in the next war than England is, and they knew a little more about the subject than most English people do. Is it too late to hope that the protests of the Commonwealth of Australia and the Dominion of New Zealand may even now' obtain consideration, in so far, at least, that the plant at Singapore may be preserved intact for a little longer?” To-day, Mr M. Lee, of Sydney, follows lip Mr Newman’s letter with the suggestion that the Government, before finally disposing of this great Imperial question, should elect one of their number who has never been beyond the British Isles to go to the East and have a look round, starting from Singapore to do so. That centre is just as valuable to the British to-day as it was in the days cf Stamford-RafEles—even more so. Let the traveller go through Java and see what the Dutch are doing at Surabaya, and stay there long enough to realise the spirit of that work. Let him then visit all British ports, inquire into the history of the Pacific Islands, and how many are lost to the British now through past ignorance of their worth, and then let him go to Australia and New Zealand to find out why they are worth while to the Empire. _ “If the Empire is to continue a ‘marvel in the world’s history, then it would be well that while legislating for domestic troubles the members of the Government should spare some time to cast their eyes to Imperial needs. Like Mr Newman, I would again remind them that the dominions all round the world thought the Empire worth fighting for. After all, the wheels of industry "here can only be kept going by export trade, so if the workers are to be kept in employment trade routes must be protected —hence the need for a Singapore Base. We people from the other ‘side’ cannot always consent to remain silent witnesses of what we consider foolishness. It would be very interesting to know wliat is to be th.e destination of the Singapore plant if sold.”