HOUSE OF LORDS.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 July 1923, Page 2

HOUSE OF LORDS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N*.Z. CAULK ASSOCIATION’. ARMAMENT DEBATE. LONDON, July 12. Lord AYimhourne, in the House of Lords, moved ; “That, in view of the growing importance of air power, the contemplated expenditure under the Naval and Air Estimates is disproportionate.”

Lord Linlithgow said the .Singapore naval base was by far the cheapest way to rendering British sea (lower effective in the Far East that could be conceiv-

l.ord Haldane asked; Against whom is the Singapore naval base directed ! He wanted to know was it the United States or Japan? lie failed to see how Britain’s general command of the sea was at this moment imperilled. Ho considered that their Home air defence was more important than security in the Far East. The people, he said, had not fully realised that Britain now was a Continental nation.

Lord Long deprecated any attempt to instittmte a comparison as Ixstween the aircraft and the capital ships in order to .secure more money for the air foi ee.

Yisromit Gt-ov agreed that the Government had no choice except to increase the expenditure on the Air Force, but essential as sin h expenditure was, it was the beginning of a new competition in armaments, which would inevitably lead to a war that would he worse than the last one. It would Ist a war from which European civilisation would never recover. He urged the Government to take all possible steps for the international limitation of armaments. If a war with Japan did occur in which the T nited States and the British Empire would be on the same side, lie was not at all sure that the construction of the proposed dock at Singapore was the best way to prepare for that contingency. Lord Wimborne’s motion was negatived. without a division.