DEFENCE POLICY

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12613, 25 November 1926, Page 7

DEFENCE POLICY

CONFERENCE’S DECISIONS ONE-POWER NAVAL STANDARD CHAIN OF AIR BASES By Telegraph. —Press Assn. — Copyright Australian and N Z. Cablo Association. (Received November 24, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, November 23. The official summary of the proceedings of the Imperial Conference contains the following:— The Conference reaffirmed the defence resolutions adopted at the last Conference, and regretted that there had not been a greater progress in armament limitation, though it recognised that an effort was necessary to maintain the naval standard laid down at the Washington Conference, namely, naval equality with any foreign Power. A resolution was carried expressing the vital importance of ensuring the security of trade routes, for which reason the representatives of Australia, New Zealand, and India noted with special interest the British Government’s steps, to develop Singapore, and welcomed the spirit of co-operation displayed in expediting the work. The Conference expressed satisfaction with the progress in building up air forces, and urged the necessity of creating and maintaining an adequate chain of air bases and refuelling stations. INTERCHANGE OF OFFICERS The Conference observed tlie progress made in organising general military formations, the adoption of patterns of weapons on similar lines, and the intor-Imperial exchange of officers, and invited the Governments to consider the extension thereof, and further consultation between the general staffs. It recommended the interchange of individual air officers and complete units. The Conference noted India’s onerous defence responsibilities, and her decision to create a navy, and also that closer defence co-operation had bean effected by the reciprocal attachment of officers to the staff colleges. It

drew attention to the facilities of the Imperial Defence College, noted the developments of the Imperial Defence Committee, and recalled the resolution of 1911, accepting in principle the establishment of defence committees in the Dominions. LITTLE NEW IN REPORT The inevitable necessity of consulting Parliaments on the Imperial defence contributions accounts for the general terms of the defence report. Tho comment was heard to-night that it is a reaffirmation of the 1923 resolutions on defence, particularly clause 2, relating to the nature and extent of the Dominions’ assistance. It virtually emphasised that Australia chiefly, and New Zealand to a smaller extent, are the only two who have since adopted a policy of self-help, and if the next three years see no change, the Conferences will simply have to go on repeating resolutions. COST OF SINGAPORE Another high-placed comment was that the allusion to Australia’s, New Zealand’s, and India’s “special interest” in Singapore was a renewal of the 1923 statement, and implied an inquiry as to whether such interest appealed to tho respective Treasuries.