"TWO-HEMISPHERE" DEFENCE PLAN.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 79, 20 April 1937, Page 4

"TWO-HEMISPHERE" DEFENCE PLAN.

Australia has become keenly interested by the British Government's announeement of the " Two-hemisphere" imperial defence policy. Apart from the work done on the Singapore Naval Base, Great Britain 's attention to the Pacific has been regarded as inadequate. British naval power east of Suez is limited; British shipping in both Eastern and Western Pacific has been severely reduced by foreign competition. Australia is prepared to contribute with the other Dominions towards shipping subsidies, based on greatly improved services, and to' a more effective naval defence policy. The Commonwealth claims entire control of its own defence expenditure and any contribution it might make to a far.Eastern fleet at Singapore would consist of ships and men rather than money. However, Australia 's effort is limited by her means and her relatively small population. This year her defence bill aecounts for more than eight million pounds, and next year it is expected to reach ten million. New Zealand for some years has been spending less than £1,250,000 on defence and Mr Nash's budget provided for an expenditure of £1,264,000. Thia is not out of proportion with the Commonwea,lth'3 vote on a population basis but it falls a long way short of our moral obligation to the British taxpayer who bears the major share of the cost of defending the trade routes of the Pacific.