THE HIGH COMMISSIONER

Hokitika Guardian, 15 March 1930, Page 2

THE HIGH COMMISSIONER

OPENING OF NAVAL CONFERENCE.

LONDON, Jan. 21

At the opening of the Naval Conference to-day each representative of the overseas dominions spoke. The text of Mr Wilford’s remarks is as follows:--

“We of New Zealand, who live on the rim of the wheel of the Empire, 11,000 miles from the hub of that wheel, realise that the trade routes of our ships carrying our produce are the veins and arteries of our commonwealth of nations. We know that in arranging at a margin of safety for those nations represented at the conference great difficulties will be experienced, and mutual toleration and forbearance will have to be exercised ; and, further, that those of iis who realise that the world is not manacled to yesterday, , must more wtyh public opinion, vf.iich agrees that the time has arrived when the competition in armaments, which is the womb of war, must cease. “New Zealand comes to this importan't gathering ’understanding; that that compromise means mutual concession, and whe ; n we view and Consider the widely different objectives of these (nations represented here, we know that we must approach our deliberations, not with single track minds, but with minds open to reason and not afraid of argument. “The whole world to-day understands that a halt must lie called Lithe race for naval supremacy, but we, in the far-away Pacific, the waters of which wash lands carrying half the population of the world, know that our very existence may depend on the protection we can receive not

the protection we ourselves can

supply. With 'that understanding wo ill - ? ready to join liands and sin nil shoulder to shoulder with tliuso who will help to see that the foundations of peace are well and truly laid. Via in quarrelling lover petty tilings will, 1 am confident be avoided; and just as after any troulble on land or sea, local or world-wide, an appeal to reason must some day be undertaken, we believe it advisable that swell an appeal to reason should 00111.3 before and no.t after the catastrophe. “New Zealand wishes t\e conference well in its deliberations and hopes sincerely that the result will be another milestone on the road to a lasting peace.