SINGAPORE BASE

Hokitika Guardian, 23 October 1930, Page 3

SINGAPORE BASE

DISCUSSION AT TRAFALGAR I I DINNER.

JAPAN’S OBJECTION RIDICULED.

United Press Association—By Electra ; P Telegraph—Copyright. J

LONDON, October 22. . The importance of the Singapore Base, especially in view of the recent indication of a resumption of work ylyereon,. was emphasised, and re-em-phasised at a Navy League dinner, at which thp Lord Mayor of London presided. Prince George was among those present at a notable assemblage, which included the Australian and New Zealand High Commissioners, Sir Gran* villo Ryrie and Sir T. Wili'ord, with their wives. The Princp., proposed the toast of “Lord Nolsdif”-which was drunk in silence, it being the anniversary ol his death. Prince George sketched the Navy’s important peace time duties, including that of the suppression of piracy. This, he said, was the oldest*- and- most exciting of acquatio sports.

Lord Llovd proposed the toast of “The Dpniinions.” He said that if the rumours ".that the Singapore dock was being proceeded with were correct, this decision would give the greatest satisfaction in Australia, New. Zealand and Malaya. He continued; “We have been bitterly discouraged because there have been ’m Navy, Army or Air Force representatives 'attending the Imperial Conference to represent our defensive needs. The Imperial Conference is developing trade, and trade is utterly dependent on the navy for security. We have now pledged to foreign powers, for the first time since Nelson won us the rnastry of the seas, our liberty to build the ships necessary to our safety. •We must have the power to insist that there must he pence.” Sir Granville Ryrie (Australian HigliXCominissioner): “We Austrastrongly about Singapore tlial--I itm justified, in saying, emphatically- and deliberately, that if the ! base there is not proceeded with, we I

will-.be placed in a most .awkward

position. If trouble occurred in the Pacific, or if the Suez Canal was blocked, it would take six weeks for the Navy to. come to protect Australia, which delay might be vital.” ; Sir Granville Ryrie then paid "

warm ti'ibute to the Australian Prime

Ministers, Hon J. H. Scullin’s utterances jin-his initial speech, which, he remarked, was far the best one of any Dominion representative, in which Mr.ScuUin- made it clear what Australia wanted and should, get. Why ho asked, could not ".the Right Hon. J. H. Thomas (SecretaryJfor the Dominions) and others speak out? Tie continued: “All of this wobbling, quibbling, and talking in an uncertain voice’ round and round the subject is no good at all! Why not .say: ‘We will give'\vou' this,’ or ‘wo will not give you that’?”" Sir Granville Ryrie also supported Mi- Scullin’s declaration that Australia would not repudiate her debts, and he advised , investment in, Australian stocks while they remained low-priced. He also said that Britannia, through people like AVing Commander Kings-

ford Smith and.Mfcs Amy Johnston, would rule, the air as hitherto she had ruled the waves. Sir .Thomas M. Wilford (New 7' land High .Commissioner) said: “If the Government does not proceed with Singapore this year, we of New Zealand . will-consider that we have been abandoned. It is a, throttle valve and an insurance.” He said that Wakatsuki (the Japanese representative) had said at: the Disarmament CoiWerenc that the erection of a naval base at Singapore was a menace to Japan. Sir T. Wilford continued: “That is fudge.’’ ’...(Applause) He added: “It is the Alpha and. Omega of our defence.. Japan wants Singapore, if Uritain does not. I found, when I was visiting there, that Japaneses owners —I. do- not sav the Japanese Govern-ment-—possessed ten thousand acres round our wireless station. Japanese capitalists were holding ten thousand acres on fa plateau overlooking our base. Japanese own only the iron field iii Malaya. To say, as Wakat■suki said, that the building of a. base at Singapore, which is three thousand miles from Japan, is building at Japan’s gates, is tantamount to say ing that a naval base at Plymouth would threaten Poston, which is three thousand miles away.” Lord Pridgeman, in proposing “The Forces of the Crown,” welcomed Sir R. Ryrie’s and Sir T. M. Wilford’iS remarks on Singapore. Sir Fredrick Field, in responding, urged that the Navy should not be forgotten in these days of economy Sir Phillip Chetwode and Sir Oliver Swann supported Sir F. Field.