Loom of Empire

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 122, 13 August 1927, Page 8

Loom of Empire

Mighty Port of Singapore Why Naval Base Must Be Built (THE SUN'S Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Friday. The importance of the proposed naval base at Singapore, not only to Australia and New Zealand, but to the very life of the British Empire, was stressed in the Budget Debate this afternoon by Mr. T. M. Wilford, member for Hutt, who held the close attention of the House for an hour, while he discussed the policy of Japan in relation to the Western Facific.

TfR. WILFORD said that he had discussed the question of the Singapore Base with various people during his tour of the East in 1923, and had found that the only people against it, in addition to the Labour leaders at Home, were the rubber barons and tin kings. The latter objected because it was intended that trade union rates of wages should be paid to the coolie labourers employed. The people in the immediate vicinity of Singapore had given practical proof of their desire for the base by a gift of £2,000,000, and Singapore had itself given 2,000 acres of land, and £25,000 in cash for the construction of pipe-lines for fuel oil. “It would,” said Mr. Wilford, “be the end of Australia and New Zealand if control of the Straits fell into the

hands of some foreign Power hostile to Britain. The creation of the base is an insurance against anything that may happen—against anybody.” It had been said that a naval base at Singapore was not needed, because Britan had Hong Kong. But Hong Kong was held only by concession, and not a penny could be spent on its development as a base, under the terms of the Washington Treaty. It had been said, too, that the establishment of the Singapore base would be breaking faith with Japan. Could it he said that Britain was breaking faith with America because she built a naval base at Plymouth, which was as far from Boston as Singapore was from Japan? The project was certainly not a breach of the Washington Treaty. “On her inland sea, Japan is building cruisers and submarines at a rate that will stagger the world, if it is

kept up. That naval station is a hive of industry,” said Mr. Wilford, “and there is nothing to prevent Japan from developing it as much as she likes, as long as she confines her building programme to light cruisers and submarines.” Singapore was essential to the British Empire. If anything happened to destroy Britain's hold upon India and her domination of the Indian Ocean, the British Empire would —“finish.” Returning to the subject of Japan, Mr. Wilford proceeded to discuss that Power’s policy during the past 20 years. She had jumped from nothing to a first-class Power, and by 1931 she would have 4,000,000 trained soldiers. A GAME OF CHESS A force from .Japan could be landed in the Philippine Islands in four days. She had moved steadily forward in the Pacific, playing as in a game of chess. To-day the Philippines were surrounded by islands held by the Japanese, which were suitable for naval bases, though Japan declared that she was not fortifying them.

“Japan has encircled Singapore,” went on Mr. Wilford. “Japan is in Singapore. The Japanese own 1,000 acres of, land in the middle of the island, round our own wireless station, bought in 1913. There is only one field of iron ore in the Malay States, and Japan has it. The Japanese hold, also, the plateau overlooking the eastern entrance to the Straits, equivalent to 10,000 acres. “Japanese capitalists tried to got control of other islands, with deepwater harbours, but the Dutch East Indies, which are vitally interested, have refused them. To-day the Dutch East Indies are undefended. They haven’t even a sioop-of-war. “A little bird whispered to me, when 1 was in England, that if a certain Power became aggressive it would mean the handing over of Sumatra to Britain, so that she would hold both sides of the Straits.” In conclusion, Mr. Wilford said that Singapore was the sixth port in the world in Importance, and In one year 11,000,000 tons of shipping passed through it. Ships came and went like shuttles in the loom of Empire. NOT A PARTY ISSUE “I want to say to my friends in this House that we never should make the defence of the Empire, or Empire affairs, party matters. (Hear, hear). We know tnat we must do our duty in the matter of naval defence. (Hear, hear). “We must pay our contribution g" dl , and, apart from the question of insurance, it is a duty which none of us should shirk.” ( Applause). Mr. A. Harris, Waitemata, congratulated Mr. Wilford upon his able speech. The member- for Hutt was always interesting; dealing with Emire affairs, he was doubly interesting; “but to-day,” said Mr. Harris, “he ha 3 excelled himself.”