THE PEACEMAKER

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 971, 14 May 1930, Page 9

THE PEACEMAKER

HENDERSON WILL HELP ITALY AND FRANCE TASK FOR GENEVA British Official Wireless Reed. 11.40 a.m. RUGBY, Tuesday. Hopes are entertained here that private conversations now proceeding at Geneva will contribute to the completion of the outstanding difficulties in Franco-Italian relations. The light programme at the League of Nations Council meeting gives favourable opportunities for its formal taik between Ministers, and naturally questions arising out of the discussions the London Naval Conference are among those under reference. The British Foreign Secretary, Mr. Arthur Henderson, who had conversations with M. Briand in Paris on his way to Geneva, yesterday lunched with Signor Graudi, who is today lunch icg with the French Foreign Minister. in conversation with Press correspondents last evening Mr. Henderson said he would be delighted if he could contribute to the mutual understanding between France and Italy, and expressed himself in profound agreement with Signor Grandi's recent statement that disarmament, which was a matter of years and not months, could only be settled through the League of Nations. WORK OF COMMISSION He praised the results of the Naval Uouference and spoke of the connecnon between its work and the work of ; he Preparatory Commission for Disarmament. He thought it would have been unwise to hold a meeting of the Preparatory Commission during the summer, and said it was well that it had been postponed till November. Such a delay would give time for f-'esh efforts to solve the difficulty of ii&va! requirements, and so help to simplify the work of the commission.