“DEPENDS ON FRANCE.”

Hokitika Guardian, 21 June 1930, Page 2

“DEPENDS ON FRANCE.”

FUTURE NAVAL BUILDING.

“We did as well as we possibly couldsunder tiie circumstances,” said the Hon. J. E. Fe'fiton, Commonwealth .Minister':' of THuie and Customs, who represented.. Australia at the recent Naval Conference in London, He spoke to Press representatives on board the Aorangi .rft Auckland this week.'

“The pact is a good one for this part of the world,” Mr Fenton said, “but the future all depends on France, and to a lesser degree on Italy, it. however, France goes on building, then of necessity Britain will have to foljpw suit. Personally I am jhopafu) or good results from the eonfereme. lc. was adjourned with the object of France ~and ifjtaly icoming in, after deliveration, and making the ThreePower Pact a Five-Power Pact. You' can rest assured, however, that the day of the battleship has gone,

“NO TROUBLE, BEFORE 1935.”

“Yes, Australia will certainly benefit from the present naval pact. We are not building, and money will be saved in all directions. I can say for certain that nothing will trouble the British Empire till 1935, and before that term finishes it is my opinion that something will happen to make the world’s peace more secure than ever.”

Mr Fenton went on to remark that already there had been considerable reduction in naval expenditure in Australia. It had been. decided to concentrate on the Flinders naval base in Victoria in future, and this would he conducted on more moderate lines than in the past. This was necessary pact affects 050,000,000. Mr Fenton pointed out that the signing of even the Three-Power Pact rilikf.ted CC'OXCO.OCO people. Indeed if all the people were embraced, it would probably mean that 1.000.000 people had been affected. As a matter of fa ft, France and Italy /lmd agreed with tlie other Powers to a “holiday” as far as battleship building was concerned. They bad agreed also upon the class of aircraft carriers, as well a« 'iifpon ‘''liumanis’ing” inibmariim warfare. This partial Five-Power Pact affected two-thirds of the population of the world.