EMPIRE CONFERENCE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10219, 21 April 1911, Page 5

EMPIRE CONFERENCE

CABLE NEWS

United Press Association — By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.

DISCUSSED IN THE COMMONS.

DOMINIONS AND THE NAVY.

(Received Last Night, 11.15 o'clock.)

LONDON, April 20

The Hon, W. E. Guinness' motion in favour of adding the discussion of the international situation to the Imperial Conference agenda paper, was withdrawn, after the Hon. L. Harcourt promised not to withhold any information the Prim© Ministers, desired to have. The Hon. Mr Guinness welcomed New Zealand's Advisory Council proposal as a real step in the direction of Federation, hut he doubted .whether the High Commissioner was' Sufficiently closely in touch Avitli colonial opinion.

| The Hon. W. Ormsby Gore said that, before Australia's resolution regarding the naval co-operation and status of the Dominion navies was discussed, Sir Edward Grey should. instruct the Premiers regarding the relation between Britain's naval policy and the foreign policy. Mr E. Crawshay- Williams urged: that the existing secretariat• be developed into a permanent representative Advisory Council. • The Hon. Mr Lyttelton declared that almost the whole strength of the Navy was concentrated at Home. Contingencies in the Far East might make it necessary to add a great many battleships in to protect tile Pacific. It was noteworthy that neither Canada, Australia, nor New Zealand had undertaken to join in allBritish wars. ,'lhe Hon. L. Harcourf said it was always the Government's intention to take the Ministers into consultation on matters of great Imperial concern. The Government would proffer information on condition that absolute secrecy was observed.

The Premier was also asked to attend the Imperial Defence Committee. -