“QUITE INCORRECT”

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 86, 5 January 1935, Page 12

“QUITE INCORRECT”

Sir'Maurice Hankey’s Visit to New Zealand NO CONSCRIPTION TALK Commenting on the cabled message from London in “The Dominion” yesterday regarding Sir Maurice Hankey's recent tour of Australia and New Zealand, and the reference of the "Manchester Guardian” to conscription as a means of strengthening the Empire’s defences, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, as Minister of Defence, said it would be fqolish to take any notice of it.

“Nobody ever spoke of conscription here,” the Minister said. “In the discussions the Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes) and I had with Sir Maurice Hankey the word .‘conscription’ was never used. The message from London is quite incorrect.”

The cable message from London was as follows: The “Manchester Guardian” sarcastically contrasts Mr. MacDonald’., emphasis that Sir Maurice Hankey’s visit had no political significance with reports from Australia in reference to his recommendations, adding: “Whether they should or should not have conscription is a matter for 'Australians themselves to decide. Doubtless the Australian Government asked Sir Maurice Hankey’s opinion, but it is dearly a serious thing and a most important departure in policy for the Secretary of the Committee of Imperial Defence to advise Australia. One must ask in what capacity and as a representative of whom or.what body of opinion Sir Maurice Hankey is now speaking.”