“Taranaki Central Press” WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 1937 A PACIFIC PACT

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 437, 19 May 1937, Page 4

“Taranaki Central Press” WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 1937 A PACIFIC PACT

The suggestion of the Australian Prime Minister that a pact should be arranged to preserve peace in the Pacific basin probably arises out of the recent Japanese announcement that concrete proposals would shortly be submitted to London for cooperation between Japan and Britain. The British Government would certainly discuss proposals for a i bilateral agreement including all the nations interested in the Pacific basin, and no doubt an intimation to that effect was conveyed to the Government at Tokio. This matter of an agreement between Britain and Japan was mentioned last year when trade relations between Japan and Australia were under discussion, and it was indicated that Japan would be quite prepared to enter into an understanding in regard to the interests of Australia and New Zealand. This is on all fours with the Japanese comment on Mr Lyon’s present statement, and the inference is that Japan does not desire the inclusion of the Chinese question in the discussion. According to the Press Association s message, preliminary inquiries have already been made in regard to a regional agreement and the replies are said to have been favourable, but it looks as if sentiment in Tokio had been taken for granted. japan would be glad to have an agreement with Britain regarding trade questions and Britain would be glad to have a definition of interests in China, but the Japanese disposition is not to enter into multi lateral agreements or to discuss such matters as the limitation of naval armaments. . The most that can be said on this general subject at present is that there may have been exchanges of views between Tokio and London, and that out of the discussion of a British-Japan-ese understanding there may come the. discussion of a wider understanding. It does not need to be said that Australia and New Zealand would welcome a pact of non-aggression for the racihc region.