NAVAL AFFAIRS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 16 July 1924, Page 5

NAVAL AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE SCHEME. POLICY OF BRITAIN. BY CABLE—PEEBB ASSOCIATION—COPYRIQH'I LONDON, July 14. In the House of Lords, Viscount Chelmsford (First Lord of the Admiralty), replying to a question, said the Government was not standing still with reference to the Singapore naval base scheme, but was still exploring the situation. Since the statement of the Premier (Mr Ramsay MacDonald) on March 18 the United States, Japan, France and Italy must have considered the position. Viscount Haldane (Lord Chancellor) admitted that Singapore was wholly outside the boundary fixed at Washington. He also admitted that the displeasure of Australia and New Zealand at the Government’s decision on the question was the effect of the Government’s general foreign policy that if a new base were established it might be an instrument of offence as well as of defence—something dominating the whole Pacific. The G overnment was endeavouring to keep the Navy efficient, Viscount Hafdane said* but Singapore went beyond that. He added that this was a new weapon, which, was not good for a navy to possess, and the establishment of a new base was irreconcilable with the Government’s foreign policy, whch aimed at making the world better. That policy might fail, hut it was the policy upon which the Government meant tb stand or fall.

Lord Linlithgow said the country had not been treated fairly with reference to Singapore. He was of the opinion that the. abandonment of the scheme was more a gesture to the Labour extremists than to any foreign Power.