SIR AUSTEN REPORTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 542, 20 December 1928, Page 13

SIR AUSTEN REPORTS

LUGANO CONVERSATIONS LITTLE PROGRESS MADE British Officio I H'irrles-s Received 11.35 a.m. RUGBY, Wednesday. Asked in the House of Commons for a statement about his conversations at Lugano, especially with regard to reparations and evacuation of the Rhineland. Sir Austen Chamberlain said he had little to add to the communique issued at Lugano by M. Briand. Dr. Stresemann and himself. This was the first occasion on which they had met since March last, and it afforded them an opportunity for the removal of some misconceptions and for a very friendly Interchange of views such as had become customary whenever they met. No new decisions were either taken or sought. The reparations problem was being dealt with through the ordinarv channels, and they did not attempt to duplicate the negotiations on the subject. which were centred in Paris. They agreed that the first thing to do was to secure the appointment of a committee of experts, and they hoped that the committee might get to work early in the New Year. Their discussion of the other problems dealt with in the resolution come to by the Powers at Geneva last September was purely exploratory and declaratory in character, but he derived from it the impression that the circumstances were favourable to a solution in the public interest. He declined to say more at presen;