THOUGHTS UPON SINGAPORE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 858, 30 December 1929, Page 8

THOUGHTS UPON SINGAPORE

Sir, — I was interested in the remarks of your correspondent on Thursday upon this Dominion’s contribution toward the construction of the naval base at Singapore. Aptly enough, it was accompanied by a cable reporting a discussion in the House of Commons, in which the Government was accused of taking money from New Zealand under false pretences. Everyone must be reasonable about this question, however. It is true that there is a singular lack of explanation about the money which has been expended by the British Government upon the Army, Navy and Air Force votes. That should be inquired into. So should the statements made in the House of Commons anent the acceptance of further moneys from this Dominion for a work which has slowed down almost to nothing. Perhaps our Government will wake up after the New Year and decide to tell the people something about this money. In the meantime it must be realised that there is a wide degree of wisdom in the action of the Labour Government in slowing down the work of the Singapore Base, for it has yet to be decided what class of warship will hold the key to the future mastery of war. If it is to be small cruisers—and Germany’s example seems to indicate as much—then what is the use of the British Government going ahead and building docks for warships twice as large? Let us not be too hasty about the completion of Singapore, but, as your correspondent suggests, let us get to the bottom of the disposal of our money. PATRIOT.