SHARING THE BURDEN

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12607, 18 November 1926, Page 7

SHARING THE BURDEN

DOMINIONS’ CONTRIBUTION TOWARD NAVAL DEFENCE NO AMOUNTS WILL BE FIXED EACH DOMINION WILL DECIDE THE SIZE OF ITS GIFT, IF ANY Although it has been suggested at the Imperial Conference that the Dominions should snare with Britain the cost of naval defence, each Dominion will decide for itself the size of its contribution.

‘\- Te 1 og ra p h. —P re?s A ssn. —Copy right, Australian and N.Z, Cablo Association. LONDON’, November 16. Upon yesterday’s little flash of frank interchanges during Mr Bruce’s speech on Imperial defence, coupled with the fact that a contract was let to-uay for the building of Singapore’s floating dock, a section of the British Press has built a full-blown story that the Dominion prime ministers bnve been asked how much they are prepared to pay towards the Singapore Base. The Australian Press Agency learns that a minor issue has been mistaken for the major one, and that, as previously cabled, Downing street has raised the whole question of the more equitable distribution of the cost of Empire defence, in which Singapore’s cost of £11,000,000, spread over a period of ten years, is a mere incident alongside the bulk total of the Navy Estimates. MERELY A SUGGESTION It is true that a suggestion has been made to the Dominions for annual

contributions, to which South Africa a certain amount of aloofness, and oven Canada shows a degree of hesiand the Irish Free State are displaying tancy, while New Zealand and India are cordially sympathetic, and Australia is disposed to weigh the possibilities m the light of her own direct naval expenditure. In regard to this it is gathered that Mr Bruce’s recital of the Commonwealth’s defence enterprise considerably impressed the conference and rather emphasised with force Britain's hint that the other units of tho Empire might shoulder some of tho general burden. DISCUSSION FINISHED There is no thought, however, as has been suggested, that within the next week the Prime Ministers will sit around the table and thresh out the scale of the proposed contributions. Actually the discussion on Imperial defence has ended, and having learned the facts and seen for themselves, the Prime Ministers will go back to their own Cabinets and discuss whether their response will be by way of gesture or gift.