FEDERAL DEFENCE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 19049, 30 June 1924, Page 11

FEDERAL DEFENCE

NAVAL BILL DISCUSSED. MR. BRUCE REVIEWS THE SITUATION. MELBOURNE, June 28. In the House of Representatives Mr. Bruce moved the second reading of the Naval Bill. He reviewed comprehensively the chief factors in the problem of Australian defence. He announced that the Ministry did not propose to take steps at present to provide a first-class naval base in the Pacific as a result of the abandonment of the Singapore project. Ho is still of the opinion provision of such a base was of tantamount importance, and it was only a matter of time when the recent decision of the British Government would be reversed. In the meantime there would be provision for fueling and docking facilities in the Commonwealth. One of the two new ten-thousand ton cruisers, to replace the Melbourne and Sydney would be built in Britain at a cost approximately of two million'sterling. It was not decided where the other would be built. He admitted that the cost of building in Australia would not be less than three millions. The Imperial Conference had affirmed the necessity for providing adequate defence of territory and trades of the several countries comprising the Empire, and the first guiding principle laid down was that primary responsibility of each portion of the Empire was for its own local difficulties. It was now the general opinion said Mr. Bruce,, that the view which had been taken of the benefits that would flow from the Washington I pact had been somewhat exaggerated and possibly in drastic retrenchment that had taken place shortly. afterwards, Australia had gone too far. Australia was still dependent upon Britain for protection; it was useless to maintain that she was an independent nation, having no connection with the British Empire. Britain at present maintained only one-power naval standard. If the people declared against even the maintenance of this Australia would be in a parlous condition. While Britain had abandoned Singapore she was increasing her air strength for immediate defence of her own I shores. Because of lack of knowledge of the Empire and its far-flung fortunes, there was a danger that the question of the Empire Conference might be relegated to second place. The League of Nations was the greatest hope of the world to-day, but it was not in a position to enforce its will on the world, especially as the United States, Germany, and Russia were not members. The League was now considering the question of mutual guarantees, and he did not hold out much prospect of being able to rely on this.