Mr. ERSKINEasked the Prime Minister whether the Governments of Australia 1172W and New Zealand have offered to make contributions towards the cost of the Singapore Naval Base; and, if so, what are the amounts proposed, respectively, and the conditions, if any, attached?
§ The PRIME MINISTERAs regards the Commonwealth of Australia, I would invite reference to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs to a question by the hon. Member for Mile End (Mr. Scurr) on the 22nd February, 1926, and to the statement by the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth at the Imperial Conference (Cmd. 2769). The Prime Minister of New Zealand has recently announced that His Majesty's Government in New Zealand intend to submit to the New Zealand Parliament proposals relating to naval defence, including a contribution of £1,000,000 to the cost of the Singapore Base spread over a period of seven or eight years.