Protest of Colony Against Being Charged for Naval Base Singapore, Aug. 27.
The British Government's reply the Colons's recent protest against the inclusion of the cost of the garrison as being recoverable from. the Colonial funds and other items, connected with the naval buse have been tabled "in the Legislative The Colony's contention has been! that the base is required as part the scheme of Empire defence! generally and not for the defence of the Colony. Britain's reply suz-gests that all military expenditure for the initial formation of the Singapore base should be borne by' Army votes while all other military expenditare should be paid by. the Colony as the dull, ordinary' cost of the garrison, including the cost personnel added to the garrison as the new defences are manned. It also suggests that the cost of maintaining the old and new defences. should be paid by Singapore, and that finally the pereentaze of revenue to be contributed by the Colony shall remain at twenty.
The unofficial Councitlors in letter to the press complain. that because the Lase is situated at Singa-Pore owing to its strategical posi tion it is inequitable that the Colo should pay more than other Colonies and Dominions which are equally interested—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.