PRESS CONFERENCE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9529, 29 June 1909, Page 5

PRESS CONFERENCE.

IMPERIAL DEFENCE PROBLEMS* SPEECH BY ADMIRAL BERESFORD. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Copyright. Received June 28j' 8.15 a.m. LONDON, June 27. At the closing sitting of the Imperial Press Conference, Admiral Lord Charles Beresford, in dealing with the problem of how help should be given to the Mother Countrj", added:—"Don't let us be in too great a hurry. Don't let us be too long. Defence should be of a kind that it is instantly able to be turned into attack. "Standardisai.hr," said the speaker, "was all-important, whereby temporary exchange of officers, men, and ships were possible throughout the Empire. The weakest part of the present system is the defence of trade routes. The colonies might undertake these overseas repairing stations which, owing to some mad infatuation, had been abandoned after large sums had been spent on them. Continuing, Lord Beresford said: —"The colonies must act in war time under a great strategical. bureau, which would be the Admiralty, but which was not there now. The Empire had much leeway to make up, owine to its having deferred its liabilities; but it was possible, if the question were regarded from an imperial and national standpoint, to make it.free from the taint of party. Concluding, the Admiral said:— "The peoples of the nations loath and detest war. If the Empire were properly prepared there would be no war."

DUTY OF THE PRESS. SECRECY IN WAR TIME. Received June 28, 8.40 a.m. LONDON, June 27. Speaking at the Press Conference, General French, commandant at Aldershot, supported Mr Haldsne's idea of uniformity of military methods by means of a General Staff. The General dwelt on the importance of secrecy in, war time, and appealed to the press for help on this matter.

Mr T. Temperley (proprietor of the Bathurst "Times," New South Wales), proposed a resolution to the effect that national defence for the Empire was the most urgent question of the day. Mr W. T. Stead (editor of tr.e "Review of Reviews") made an impassioned plea for psace.'He declared that the Press of the Empire should, above all, keep a civil tongue towards the rtstof the world. "It is all very well," said the speaker, "for an Australian delegate to come here and say that national defence was most urgent. The most urgent question for him is to fill Australia with white people."' Mr J. A. Mac Donald, (editor of the Toronto "Globe") described the resolution as feckless, thewless, and pithless, and Mr Cunningham (editor of the Melbourne "Argus") declared it was superfluity. The Hon. T. Fink (director of the Melbourne "Herald") expressed hearty appreciation of British statesmanship. The meeting finally decided to put no resolution on record.

AN "AT HOME"

Received June 23, 8.40 a.m. LONDON, Juno 27.

The Press delegates gave an "At Home" at the Waldorf Hotel. The guests included Sir Edward Grey (Foreign Secretary), Lord and Lady Northcote, Lord and Lady Middletun, Lordjmd Lady Northcliffe, the Lord Mayor (Sir George Truscott), AgentsGeneral, and members of the Conference Committee, Presentations were made to Mr Harry E. Britain, M.A., secretary of the Reception committee, and to Miss Violet Brooke Hunt, honorary secretary of the Ladies' Committee. The delegates are considering ?n invitation to meet at Winnipeg, the capital city of Manitoba, Canada, in 1912. The ladies accompanying the delegates to the Imperial Press Conference attended the Marchioness of Lansdowne's King's Birthday reception.