WASHINGTON CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 October 1921, Page 6

WASHINGTON CONFERENCE.

AUSTRALASIAN REPRESENTATION. ATTEMPT TO SECURE IT. Auckland, Sept. 30. Referring to the Washington Conference in his speech at the civic reception, Mr. Massey said that he wished the conference every sqccess in promoting the peace of the world, because the world required peace in order to repair the wastage of wag. (Applause.) He regretted, however, that arrangements made excluded the Prime Ministers of Australia anil New Zealand from the conference, because no countries in the world were so interested in the peace of the Pacific as those two young English nations. (Applause.) When the conference was first suggested he hoped that some arrangement might be made to include Mr. Hughes and himself at the meetings, if only for a few days, so that the opinions of the citizens they represented might be expressed, but that was not agreed to. It was not the fault of the Imperial Conference that his desire had not been given effect to. He then suggested a preliminary conference with representatives of the British Dominions, America and Japan, which should informally meet and discuss the position—not in public—in order that the members of the conference might go on with their proposals fully informed of the feelings of Australia and New Zealand. That also was turned down. All the same, he hoped that the conference would be productive of real good. If it was going to do any good there must be an understanding between Great Britain, America and Japan—the three great naval Powers to-day. He did not use the term “alliance”, but if they got an understanding between these Powers it would go a long way towards promoting the peace of the world for many a year to come. z