MONEY FOR SINGAPORE.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 December 1924, Page 9

MONEY FOR SINGAPORE.

BUILDING NAVAL BASE. £10,500,000 ALLOWED, EXPENDITURE DETAILED. AID FROM DOMINIONS.

By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright Received Dec. 12, 5.5 p.m. Loudon, Dec. 11. The naval correspondent of the Daily News, dealing with details of the expenditure of £10,500,000 on the construction of a naval base at Singapore, states that this amount will be apportioned as follows: Wharves, basins, railway and / roads 5.100,000 Graving dock LOOO’OOO Buildings .’ 420,000 Workshops and storehouses 1.780,000 * Magazines 1,000,000 Contingencies ' 1,200,000 In the House of Commons Sir Newton Moore (Conservative) asked what amount had been expended on the plans for enlarging the Singapore base, what amount was- necessary to complete the scheme, and whether it was contemplated that Australia and New Zealand should contribute. Mr. W. C. Bridgeman (First Lord of the Admiralty) replied that £90.500 had been expended. The original estimated ajnount was £11,000,000, spread over nine years. He recalled that Australia and New Zealand expressed their willingness to contribute before the plans were suspended. While their contributions wc uld be still welcome, it would be necessary for their Governments to review the matter in the light of their present financial commitments for nava; defence. It was premature to forecast their decision.