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Dockyard, Singapore

Volume 162: debated on Wednesday 28 March 1923

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18.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if the workmen to be employed at Singapore will be white or Chinese; if the foremen, chargemen, and all in authority will be white men; and if they will be taken from volunteers from home dockyards?

As the construction of the dockyard will be for the most part carried out by contract, the selection of the staff required must be left to the contractor. Probably, foremen and all higher officers will be white, and workmen and grades below foremen will be obtained locally, if possible. No decision as to the staff to be employed in working the yard has yet been made.

Do I understand that the spending of £11,000,000 on this dockyard will not benefit the unemployed of Great Britain?

Certainly it will. About half of the £11,000,000 will he spent in material, and that material will he purchased within the four corners of the British Empire.