§ 9. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any protests have been received from the Singapore Chamber of Commerce or other public bodies in the Straits Settlements, protesting against the proposal to include the cost of the garrison for the new naval base at Singapore in the charges against the Colony: what reply has been made; if he can state the estimated cost of the full garrison annually after the new base, arsenal and dockyard have been fully established; whether any extra charges for the naval and aerial armaments and establishments at Singapore arising out of the naval base will be thrown on the exchequer of the Colony; and, if so, what amount?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GORERepresentations have been received from the Unofficial Members of the Legislative Council, the Singapore Chamber of Commerce, and others: and the matter is new under consideration. I regret that I am not in a position to make a definite statement of the estimated cost of the full garrison after the new base, arsenal and dockyard have been fully established. The answer to the remainder of the question is in the negative.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYDo I understand that the right hon. Gentleman is not answering the last part but one of the question, as to whether any extra charges for the naval and aerial armaments and establishments at Singapore will be thrown on the exchequer of the Colony?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREThat is the last part of the question. "The answer to the remainder of the question is in the negative."
§ Lieut. Commander KENWORTHYDoes that mean that there will be no extra charges on the Colony?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GORENot for capital expenditure in connection with that matter.
§ Lieut. Commander KENWORTHYSurely for annual upkeep there will be an extra charge, and, that being the case, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman at the same time to say if he is defending the interests of the Colonies as against the War Office and the Admiralty?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREThe latter would he a very improper question for me to answer.
§ Lieut. Commander KENWORTHYIt is a very proper one to ask though.
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREIt is a matter for the Government as a whole to arrange negotiations. These questions of distribution of expenditure cannot be replied to quite in the form in which the hon. and gallant Gentleman puts them in the course of a supplementary question.