SINGAPORE BASE

Southland Times, Issue 20045, 6 December 1926, Page 7

SINGAPORE BASE

NEW ZEALAND’S SHARE MATTER TO COME BEFORE PARLIAMENT SPEECH BY MR COATES London, December 3. Mr. Coates speaking on Imperial defence said the question of New Zealand making a definite manual contribution towards Singapore would be submitted to his Parliament at an early date. He considered the New Zealand Government would be prepared to increase its share of the burden Britain had to bear, to enable sea supremacy in any particular quarter to become more efficient. Details were now being discussed with the Admiralty. New Zealand, as far as military policy was concerned, intended to continue in full agreement with the Defence Committee’s proposals in regard to homogereity, organisation, material and the use of training establishments in Britain, India and any Dominion with whom she could co-operate. New Zealand was anxious to continue air development on co-operative lines with Britain and possibly Australia. He stated that New Zealand’s geographical position entered into the consideration. Mr. Havenga detailed the South African military system of defence. Coast defence was maintained at Table Bay and Simon’s Bay. The question of making Durban an adequately defended port was under consideration. South Africa aimed at keeping her military organisation, as far as her resources would permit in harmony with the British Government’s policy but no personal war service outside South Africa; therefore the extent of South Africa’s immediate or ultimate participation would depend on South Africa’s national interest in war being so great that when the emergency should arise special amending legislation would be acceptable to the country or, on popular interest being great enough to ensure numerous volunteers, he was confident that if the circumstances were such that the Union desired to participate in the war, public opinion would be such that no difficulty would be experienced in obtaining an infantry brigade for external service and a further effort would be forthcoming if the situation developed. It was his opinion that in the present stage of their development the policy best serving the Union, as well as the British Commonwealth, was, while discharging present coast defence responsibilities, to devote available resources to training and developing the air and land forces. It was these w’ith which South Africa would be able most effectively to assist in the case of war in which the Union was participating. He suggested that the committee on Imperial defence should review South African coastal defences and consider whether, on the assumption it would soon be necessary to re-arm or increase home coastal defences, aircraft could be more efficiently and economically used and in view of the probable nature and scale of attack against South Africa they should also consider cognate matters. Mr. Baldwin accepted the suggestion. Mr Monroe said that men, especially seagoing, were the only considerable direct contribution that Newfoundland was financially able to offer. The Maharajah of Burdwan said that India subscribed to the general wish of the department, but she must not fail adequately to provide for her own local defence. The burden of her own defence unfortunately rendered it impossible that she should contribute to the Singapore base. India had accepted the necessity for maintaining uniformity in training methods and equipment throughout the Empire# as far as was practicable.—A. and N.Z.