FIVE-POWER CONFERENCE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 853, 23 December 1929, Page 9

FIVE-POWER CONFERENCE

SAILOR KING TO OPEN PROCEEDINGS CANADA’S REPRESENTATIVE British Official Wireless United P.A. —By Telegraph—Copyright Reed. Noon. RUGBY, Sunday. The King and Queen, accompanied by their grand-daughter. Princess Elizabeth, yesterday left London for Sandringham. The King will return for the opening of the Five Power Naval Conference, which will assemble in the Royal Gallery of the House of Lords on January 21. and will be addressed by his Majesty. Preparations for the Naval Conference are now practically complete. The King’s last public speech was made on October 10, 1925, on the occasion of the opening of the Tyne Bridge, while he was en route to London from Balmoral. A month later he attended the Cenotaph ceremony and the news of his illness was announced oil November 22. The “Daily Telegraph” says it will appeal to the Imagination of all people throughout the world that the sailor King will open the Five Power Naval Conference. Alone among the monarchs and chiefs of State, King George is a service-man par-excel-lence. “The Telegraph” reminds its readers that the King had been 14 years afloat, and that he had seen service in every part of the world when he was called to the throne. The Canadian Minister of Defence, Mr. J. S. Ralston, is to be Canada’s representative at the Five Powers’ Naval Conference in London. He will be accompanied by Commander Hose, chief of the naval staff of the Canadian Defence Department. FRANCE’S PROPOSALS The French Government has forwarded te nritain a memorandum setting forth the general French view regarding naval disarmament in connection with the forthcoming Five Powers Naval Conference. Its points, summarised, are: (1) Naval disarmament is only part of a general limitation of armaments which the Deague of Nations must setttle. (2) Dand, sea, and air armaments must be considered as interdependent. (3) The demands of France in tonnage will be based on her needs. (4) The naval problem must be considered in relation to the guarantees of security necessary to each country concerned.

The memorandum was also being communicated to the United States, Japan, and Italy. The text ’ will be published shortly.