PEACE TASKS.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 June 1920, Page 5

PEACE TASKS.

BOULOGNE CONFERENCE. GERMAN INDEMNITY. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright, London, June 21. The Boulogne Conference has opened. Britain, Italy, Japan, France and Belgium are represented. The programme of the conference has been settled in the following order: (1) German indemnity; (2) disarmament of Germany; (3) Eastern question; (4) Russian question. This morning's discussion was confined to the first. Two financial experts have been charged with the preparation of a text which has been agreed upon for presentation at the evening conference. Similarly military experts are preparing a draft of a notification to Germany regarding disarmament in both effectives and material. The conference, as regards reparation, j is agreed upon the principle that the annual minimum payment by Germany Bhall be three milliards of gold marks, or nominally 150 millions sterling, or a total of 4500 millions sterling.—Reuter.; FIRMNESS WITH GERMANY. TO ENSURE PROMPT PAYMENT. Paris, June 2.2 The Echo de Paris says that M. Millerand at Boulogne gained the essential point, namely, that if Germany does not promptly pay, the Allies will seize the German customs and impound revenue. Further territorial occupation may be necessary to exert pressure. Marshal Foch states that 15,000 German guns yet remain to be destroyed.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. 11 IMPORTANT DECISIONS. REPARATIONS AND ARMAMENTS. NO NEGOTIATIONS WITH RUSSIA. Received June 23, 55 p.m. London, June 22. A Boulogne communique states the conference re-discussed the question of the German payment of reparation and its distribution among the Allies, and agreed that Allied experts should meet in Paris to draw up a joint proposition on an agreed basis for submission to the Allied Conference at Brussels on July 2nd, which is to agree on a joint policy before the Spa Conference. The conference then discussed the disarmament of Germany and approved the draft communication prepared by the military experts; also their proposal in regard to' the ownership of the distributed war material, and the date of the resumption of the manufacture of aircraft. The French delegates reiterated the failure of Germany to execute the clauses relating to the delivery of coal, and will advise the Reparations Commission in regard to the matter. It was finally agreed that the economic negotiations begun in London with the Russian economic delegates be continued, on the understanding that there was no question of political recognition of the Soviet Government.—Reuter Service. Received June 23, 8.50 p.m. London, June 22. M. Millerand, interviewed at Boulogne, said Germany would be compelled to reduce her army aB quickly as possible.—Aus.:N.Z. Cable Assn.