NAVAL CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 28 January 1930, Page 6

NAVAL CONFERENCE

PROGRESS OF GATHERING. (British Official RUGBY, January 25. Although experts continued their consultations, there was to-day a lull in the formal and informal conversations between the principal delegates to the London Naval Conference.

Mr Ramsay MacDonald is at Chequers for the week-end, were to-day the Dominion delegates are his guests. The chief of the United States delegates, Mr Stimson, had arranged to spend a day golfing. Some of the French delegates have gone to Belfast to see the Rugby International match. Members of other delegations have social engagements.

It is, however, likely that when the heads of the delegations meet at 10 Downing Street on Monday, it will be found that further progress has been made.

Mr Stimson regards the advance made since the Conference opened as very inspiring and encouraging. Yesterday’s British communique declared that the experts report showed encouraging results, but while expressin the hope that the preliminary work will not be unduly prolonged, emphasises the importance of having the ground carefully prepared, so that best work of the Conference may be decided in advance. In furtherance of the view held by all delegations that the difference of problems should, at the outset be brought under the active consideration of all interested sections to assess and if possible narrow down the margins of difference, there were many informal talks yesterday. The Italians for example, met the British delegates in the morning and the Americans in the afternoon and at night M. Tardieu and Signor Grandi consulted together. RUGBY, January 26.

Although to-day has produced no news of the Naval Conference developments, delegates have not necessarily been idle. The - week-end has enabled them to give consideration in comparative leisure to conversations and informal exchanges they have had among themselves during the past few days, and to adjust their view accordingly. Much importance is attached by all delegations to the work of organising the sequence of problems, with which the Conference has to deal, and it is generally felt that the time devoted to evolving a sound agenda is not wasted, since it may well save much labour later on. The Prime Minister to-day entertained the Dominion delegates at his official country residence at. Chequers and was visited during the afternoon by Mr Stimson. some of the members of the other delegations were in contact during the day. The delegation chiefs meet at 10 Downing Street to-morrow morning.