Lt.-Cmdr. R. T, H. Flelcher, Labour member for the Nuneaton Division of Warwickshire, asked: "By what date is it intended' to station at Singapore 44 fleet adequate to obviate the neces sity of Australia acquiring capital ships?"
Mr. Geoffrey Shakespeare, Parlla~ mentary and Financial Secretary the Admiralty, replied that it, would be appreciated that it was "not the public interest to disclose possible future dispositions of His Majesty's ships.
The strength and composition of the Royal Australian Navy, he went on to say, was a matter for decision by the Commonwealth Government, and their present intentions in the matter were announced by the Minister of Defence in the House of Kepresentatives at Canberra on Decemer 6,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.