IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 October 1923, Page 3

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

AUSTRALIAN AND N. 7,. CABLE ASSOCIATION, REVIEW OK Til 1C WEEK. LONDON, Oft. ID. It has boon a wry busy week for the Prime Ministers. Roth conferences liaw been sitting, but not clashing. All the imjmrtanL questions of po ta 1 communications and shipping, in which Mr Massey took a leading part, have occupied the Kronnmie Conference, whilst tit, the Imperial Conference attention has childly been concentrated '♦fh naval, military, and air defence. Necessarily the discussions on the latter were highly confidential. This afternoon Lord iieatty attended. ll* explained in detail the varying icpi'cts ot naval policy. The proposed Singapore Naval base figured largely. A further sitting is yet to he devoted to foreign policy and defence. A- the conference proceeds particularly in naval defence, the Australian and New Zealand interest, are becoming more closely identified. .Mr Mie-cy expresses particular satisfaction at the work of the Shipping Conmiittee. as disclosed in the report of Sir 11. .Machinder. The journal "The Fruitgrower” warmly acclaims Mr .Massey's championing of the amendment of the Merchandise Marks Act. The unsatisfactory condition of affairs in the Condominium control of the New Hebrides: Island was introduced by Mr Massey, and has been well discussed by a special committee of tbe Imperial Conference to which it was referred. Lord Devonshire presided. The Foreign.

Of!' e represented that the proceedings "'ere confidential, hut the recommendation-. will he submitted to the Conference. -Mr Mn-scy’s emphatic advocacy of a relorm had the support of Australia. PENNY POST A(I F,. LONDON. Oct. IS. Mr Kcllcway, the former Postmaster General, urges the desirableness and the possibility of immediately reinstating penny postage, fie says that the only reason why the public are denier] this immense boon is that the Postal Service has been obliged to carry a loss nl Cl ..‘SAD,not) yearly on tbe telegraphs, if Sir L. Worthington Kvan.s fPost-master-Oeneral) restored Imperial) penny posLagc while the eonterenee is assembled, it would la- a more oloijuent gesture to the Dominion’s than th.e proposed preference on dried fruits.

IM PICK IA L Si 11 PI’I NO CO.M.M ITTKK. LONDON, Del. 1-s. Mr Massey moved the appreciation ol the Conference of the valuable work _ done by the Imperial Shipping Committee. Mr 111-lire .seconded the motion. Sir 11, .Mackinder, in replying, said t hat he was gratified at stu b an expression, especially coming from Mr Massey, who had fathered the Committee. The f|uestion of making the committee a permanent institution was discussed. It is understood that the committee is prepared to continue work in a purely honorary capacity. LONDON, Oct. IS This afternoon the Conference was occupied by the delegates, at, tin- Ad- „ iifiraltv, in discussing the details of Colonel Amery's proposals. LONDON, Oct. 1-s, Consequent on Mr liruce's protest against the non-issuing of the speeches on Imperial communication.-', other . J hail Sir L. Y\ or! hington Fvans’s, tbe 'Conference authorities to-night issued suppressed speeches. Mr Bruce, in his speech, said that Australia, being the farthest away of all the Dominions, attached tin- greatest importance to improved eomnitiiiieations. It was for them to see, either by themselves, or by co-operation with tbe liritisb Coveniment or other parts of the F.mpirr, that communication wa* improved. He would nut, say much at,, this stage in regard to the mails, he-1 yond saying that Australia and New Zealand were not satisfied that the pro-I

senfc services met tlieir eireumstaueos or was all that, they required. They recognised as tar as the shi]i[)ing side was concerned that more frequent mail services could be established only at a prohibitive cost, but lie was hopeful of being able to get a weekly service in the not distant future. With regard to the time of transport, which was probably a more important factor, the position was not satisfactory. It takes 2f) days now, when once upon a time it. used to take 28,