Pointed Questions Asked in the Commons: Will Givers of Money be Consulted by Government?
London, Nov. 18.
Lt.-Col. C. K, Howard-Bury (Conservative) asked in the House of 'Commons'. to-day" whether the Dominions and Colonies which had' subscribed towards the construction of the Singapore Base had been consulted regarding. cessation: of. the put, but Bfr, Amery knew. perfectly] well that the predecessors of the present Government had spent the money contributed. by the Malay) States first and that there was no Government of this country: which would avoid obligations like that.
"All Forces. Interested Replying to this question, the Premier, Mr: Ramsay MacDonald, yeforred-the hon. member to the ply given in the House last Wedné day by the First Lord of the Admiralty,' Mr. "A.V, Alexander, (who had said that," pending the coming. five-Power naval conference, the work already contracted for in Singapore would be slowed down as much a8 possibi The Premier said that the Dominions: had' been notified, but the Colonial governments had not been previously informed. It was not, thought necessary to consult the "governments of the Dominions regarding the slowing down or suspen-ion, of work on the Singapore Base, Dut they, of course, would be consulted before any. decision was taken affecting the scheme as a. whole. "Lt.-Col, Howard-Bury asked -whether Mr, MacDonald was aware that! the Singapore Base was for the pro. tection of the Dominions and that their _money was being spent, for which reason any scheme affecting ib' should: first be referred to the! Dominions and their agreement] secured:
The Prime Minister expressed the Hope that the hon. member would: excise him for not going into details which at present should: not ed, but Lt.-Col. Howard-'See that certain agree ference might affect the whole! original idea of the Base.
Mr. L. S, Amery, who was Colonial Socretairy in the late Conservative Government; asked' whether the! Prime Minister was aware that the' contribution of the Malay. States had been given with the: express obecb of expediting the work on the Base.
Mx, MncDonald replied that he was not quite sare whether he was: aware of the content of the question in the form in which it had been From te defence point of view, ihe Singapore Base is as much question for the Army and Air Poree as it is for the New, deciared General Sit Tan Hamilton in Speech in London to-day.
He said that he himself and Lord French visited Singapore Inspectors-General, and they to consider, tuter alia, the proximity of Formosa. and South China. There is no longer any harm in saying, he declared, that we both considera that the formation of a very considerable mobile local defence force was necessary to protect the vast sum expended on the Singapore fortified base, in addition to a full fortress garrison of
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.