COUNCIL OF NATIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 August 1921, Page 5

COUNCIL OF NATIONS.

GREAT BRITAIN’S DELEGATE PREMIER MAY ATTEND. EARLIER REPORT DENIED. By Telegraph.—Press Asin —Copyright. Paris, August 8. Mr. Lloyd George informed British and American journalists that he would not be able to attend the Washington Conference. Received August 9, 5.5 p.m. London, August 9. The Daily Chronicle’s Paris correspondent says Mr. Lloyd George has not informed journalists that he is not going to Washington. I am informed that Mr. Lloyd George intends to accept President Harding’s invitation to visit Washington «s the official British representative. Received August 9, 7.20 p.m. Paris, August 8. Reuters Agency is authorised to state that neither the British delegation nor the Embassy made any statement regarding Mr. Lloyd George’s intentions in the matter of going to America. Moreover, Mr. Lloyd George received no American journalists. Received August 9, 7.20 pan. London, August 8. Mr. Lloyd George’s announcement in Paris that he would not attend the Washington Conference surprised London Government circles, which attribute his decision to the enormous accumulaton of work requiring his personal attention during the autumn. It is further suggested that anticipated developments in the Irish situation caused the Premier to change his mind. Some people ar einclined to associate the change of plan with the possibility of a general election in the autumn. —Times Service. QUESTIONS FOR AGENDA. Tokio, August 8. M. Hara, Japanese Premier, interviewed, nenied the statements credited to him that Japan was determined that such questions as Yap and Shantung should be excluded from the Washington discussions or that Japan expected a preliminary conference. M. Hara said: “All we ask is indicated in the Note of July 26, in which we stated we deemed it advisable that the agenda should be arranged before the conference was convened. Beyond that we are quite willing to accept President Hardings invitation for whatever time and place he. names.” CHINA TAKES PART. Washington, August 8. China has accepted November 11 for the date of the Disarmament Conference.