BRITISH POLITICS

Hokitika Guardian, 18 November 1932, Page 3

BRITISH POLITICS

STATEMENT postponed,

(British Official Wireless.)

ItTTGBY, November 10,

To meet the general convenience of de.egatus to the Disarmament Buidau and partly to give time for more complete study of the French plan, Sir John Simon lias postponed' until Thursday his announcement to- the B.ureau of the new British disarmament proposals. To-day lie had a further long conversation with Mr Norman Day s (U.S.A.), and the British, French and Italian experts were alsp .actively engaged, together on aspects of disarmament. Prime Minister, in'the House of when 'asked;,for a definite uiidartaking that Britain should not be pledged at the Disarmament Conference to any scheme controlling internationally civil aviation, which might impede the development of Imperial air transport, again refused to make any departure from the normal practice when the Governments were engaged in important negotiations.

" Cheers greeted this answer irbi. also ia supplementary question, which \ inquired w ..ether he was aware that an overwhelming majority of members /' would support him on the policy out- r lined by Mr Baldwin; oil Frida r , The pcstponeinent till Thursday of % Sir John Simon’s disarmament speech ,’ i~t Geneva is believed to be not, unconnected with the attempt to bring . Germany back to the fold,’ but official hints from Berlin discourage the hone and suggest that the Frtnch jilan will;!*,, prolong discussion for- five years and ;, is designed solely to perpetuate French ,-; political' supremacy, while the aim of : - ! the arms pool is to save'FTahee scr»P- ;, ping her owit huge quantities of war materials, thus destroying 'hopes of equality. Germany will be able to adhere to thel security only ; when the peace treaties are revised, f ;