EMPIRE DEFENCE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9555, 30 July 1909, Page 5

EMPIRE DEFENCE.

CONFERENCE IN LONDON. GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS OUTLINED. United Press Association —By Electric Telegrajh Copyright. Received July 29, 10.25 a.m. LONDON, July 28. Mr Asquith, at the inaugural meeting, outlined the Government's proposals in regard to defence. The sittings of the conference will be strictly private. General Botha, President of the Transvaal, is unwell, and will be unable to attend the early sitting of the conference.

OPENING DEBATES. PRESS OPINION ON THE CONFERENCE. Received July 29, 9.30 p.m. LONDON, July 29. After Mr Asquith's opening speech at the Defence Conference, delegates briefly replied in turn, expressing thanks for the cordiality of their reception. The coming debates are concerning the proposed co-ordin-ationj of naval and military plans, and that they be largely in the hands of experts. The "Pall Mall Gazette" says that the Conference is fraught with im- | portant consequences to future interImperial relations. The Conference has been quietly and unobtrusively organised. Its members are few, but the issues are so momentous beyond anything submitted to previous gatherings. They embrace not only questions of the defence of the Dominions, but may be the maintenance of the binding and dependent States to the Motherland. Unless the subject is handled firmly,delicately and sympathetically by the Home Government there is a danger that the tie will fail to meet the strain of the young, vigorous, and independent spirit seeking to work out the salvation of its native land, unfettered by the shackles of the unsympathetic bond of centralised Government. It must not be sought to impose restrictions upon local nav,jl and military organisations. There should be uniformity of (raining, but no dominating control from the central touchstone of success probably found in interchange.

THE LIMITATION OF ARMA-

MENTS

GERMAN PRESS ON BRITISH OVERTURES.

Received July 29, 9.55 p.m. BERLIN July 28. The "Vossiehe Zeitung." commenting on the British Government's proposals for limitation of armaments declares that negotiations are only possible inter pare?.