SINGAPORE BASE.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1924, Page 2

SINGAPORE BASE.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. SIB PERCY SCOTT AGAINST SCHEME. (Received this dav at 9.45 a.m.i LONDON. March 11. Sir Percy Scott, has written to the piess declaring the Admiralty hr.s never proved the necessity for' new docks at Singapore. The need of a base there is unquestioned. It exists already and lias cost millions. The Admiralty est:niated-'thc cost of two new battleships building at ten miliums each and at the time he had pointed cut that with, the cost of the accessories and enlargement of the existing docks at Malta and 'Singapore _ the outlay would tie fifty millions, th.e

greater aprt of which would he expended on foreign labour--this when Britain's people were taxed to breaking point. Hundreds of thousands would bo unemployed. If the Clynes’ Committee squashed the Singapore scheme i< would save Britain millions, and enable the provision of a proper air defence of London and also enable AusHalia and New Zealand to spend their own money on their own defence instead of British money on the docks at Singapore which would not lie used The Admiralty must he forced to complete the climb down and not a compel mise. .MR HOLLAND'S CRITICISM. WESTPORT. March 11. Speaking to-day with reference to Mr Massey's reply to the British Government regarding Singapore, Mr If. E. Holland, ALP., leader of the New Zealand Parliamentary Labour Party, said that, although the wishes of the people of the Dominion as a whole had never been ascertained in the matter, he was confident that a substantial majority did not approve of the proposal to spend the fabulous sum the scheme involved, and which, while it, would not. in the opinion of certain great naval experts, prove effective as a means of defence would furnish a rich harvest of interna-

tional suspicions ripening towards fear and hatred, ultimately making for further warfare. Neither .Mr Alassey nor anyone else, was entitled to say that New Zealand favoured the proposal. It was certain, however, that the New Zealand Labour Movement, was uncompromisingly opposed to it, and in this respect they were in complete accord with the Australian Lnboui Parly, and also the Labour Parties of Great- Britain and Ireland, and the whole of the other Dominions.