NAVAL PACT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4461, 5 June 1930, Page 1

NAVAL PACT.

CONSERVATIVKS CRITICISM. MOTION REJECTED. LONDON, June 3. Continuing t.ho dioeusiiun in the Mouse of Commons on Air Stanley Baldwin’s motion, that a Select Coinmi i tee of eleven member*; be appointed to examine and report u|x>n the proposals contained in the International Treaty for (he Limitation ami Reduction of Naval Armaments, .Major Hills (Conservative) emphasised that Mr Baldwin’s motion would lie regarded as a condemnation of the treaty. II l lie Sea Lords had tailed in their dut.V, or the Covernmeui had disregarded their advice, a vote of censure should be moved, otherwise Major Hills preferred to believe that the Government had the support of the professional opinion of the Admiralty. (Labour cheers). -Mr Winston Churchill said that the Conservative Party asked that there should he a .searching examination of ihe details of the treaty before the country committed itself irrevocably. It was a treaty of inferiority in lorm and on paper. Wo ought not to get into a position whore any Power, even the most friendly, had an undoubted menus to threaten us with starvation. Mr Churchill had no hesitation in saving that the country was safer with the live battleships which were being scrapped under the treaty than wiili i In 1 cruisers which would have lo he built. Was that economy? This conference was the supreme failure of all the conferences. ’Flic relations between Italy and France had been definitely worsened, and the United States, as a result of the treaty, would spend between £100,000,000 and £201),000,000 in the next five years.

Mr A. V. Alexander, First Lord of the Admiralty, said that in his heart (if hearts Mr Churchill had no real desire for peace. Mr Baldwin’s motion was rejected ! v 252 votes to 201.

AMERICAN CONSTRUCT!ON. THREE NEW CRUISERS. WASHINGTON, June 2. Mr C. F. Adams, Secretary of the Navy, has announced that work has been started on the three new 10,000tou cruisers held up by President Hoover before the London Naval Conlerencc. Tiro 8-inch gnu design settled in the paeL has been agreed upon in the construction of these vessels, which will ho completed in 1033. It is understood that changes have been made to provide the vessels with heavier armour on the gun turrets, and general heavier armaments, without causing a loss of speed.