SINGAPORE BASE.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 March 1925, Page 2

SINGAPORE BASE.

DEBATE IN COMMONS. jCSIKaLIAN AND N.Z. OABLI ASSOCIATION. LONDON, March 23. Sir R. Horne, speaking in the House of Commons, said: “Singapore has always been a base with which no foreign power could take offence, because we are keeping up-to-date a base which we have held for generations. If Japan is reconsidering her allainces, she will be far more impressed if Britain.is strung and effective in the Pacific.” Mr Ammon urged that Australia and New Zealand were not unanimous in regard to Singapore. As a proof of that, he read a cable just received from the New Zealand Labour Party. Mr Ammon declared: “Let the Conservatives he honest, and admit that they are expecting another war.” Cries of “No.” “Admit that you are taking a step.” Cries of ‘‘No.” “Admit that this step is a< touted by U:e fear of an Eastern menace.”

Mr Appin pointed out that, owing to the Washington Agreement. Britain was actually abandoning Hong Kong as an up-to-date base, withdrawing i Singapore. China was a sleeping giant, but was being ignored in ibis controversy. Bringing Singapore up-to-date would be the friendliest at t they could do the United States, who were in severe danger in the Philippines.

At the report stage of the Naval Estimates, Air Ramsay .MacDonald attacked the Government's decision to proceed with the Singapore Base. He declared that the Empire did not consist solely of Australia and New Zealand. The Singapore Base would weaken the Empire, Itocuuso it would increase the war-making impulses of the world, lie referred to the remarks made by one member of the House of Commons that a Singapore Base was necessary in order to maintain the White Australia policy. The assertions meant that because Australia would persist in opposing Japanese immigration, the Ircsult undoubtedly would he a .Tapan-Austra-liait military confiirt-. by which, sooner or later, the whole .Empire would be involved in war. He suggest e> that there was an alternative. It was to submit the question of emigration to tbe League of Nations. Mr MacDonald declared that they now knew that if the international Court had to decide as to whether a Japan-Australinii conflict, arising out of the immigration question was an .’iiteinational or pulrely 'domestic affair, the Court- would decide that immigration policy was a purely domestic matter for the country concerned. Thus the first ground of the battle was to be settled legally, and not militarily.

Mr Ramsay MacDonald said he did not doubt the effect of a base at Singapore would be turn the mind of the East towards military preparations. In conclusion be said, this base was calculated to upset ninny chances to preserve peace in the Far East. It would mean the creation of a I’acific Fleet, with probably lire scrapping of the Washington Treaty ratios for naval construction, and would also mean over increasing the expenditure on armaments which expenditure did not mean peace or security, but inevitable

.Sir B. Ilnriio emphasised that Britain was bound by Imperial lies it Australia" and New Zealand, and tbit meant that Britain must render then effective if required to do so. Britain, would be false to her trust il slit did not complete the Singapore base for thereby they would be renderin' secure the great imperial communications on which the welkin.' of tin country depended. He controverted I lie suggestion. thsl Australia atu .New Zealand had changed their mindmi the subject of a Siuga]orc base. Hi said the fact that a base would tale ten years to complete constituted at

argument in favour of beginning at once. No Government was able to forsee when the next war was coming. The Geneva Peace l’roctoeol if it had been tarried into effect, would have required a much larger navy than Britain at present possessed. The Singapore* base was not being 1 oust itilted as an offence to Japan. Ihe nbnndcni’.R'nt of the base meant giving up the possibility of defending the Indian and the Pacific oceans. He said much had been heard about gestures to unknown people. He preferred to make a gesture of goodwill to the Dominions.

An amendment was moved by Mr MacDonald for the reduction of the votes. This was defeated by 280 to 129 after which the vote for Singapore xvns agreed to.