NAVAL CONFERENCE.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17973, 19 March 1930, Page 5

NAVAL CONFERENCE.

ADJUSTMENT OF TONNAGE

PROLONGED DISCUSSION LIKELY. M. TARDIEU RETURNS TO PARIS. (Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 17. The French Premier, M. Tardieu, has left for Paris accompanied by M. Pietni. He expects to return to London next week. The work of the Naval Conference is likely lo be restricted this week to informal interviews between the members of the different delegations. No plenary session is in prospect, and the problem, of adjusting the tonnage figures of the live Powers within the categories prepared for them by the First Committee is the chief immediate problem. The difficulties of the European situation have been enhanced by Hie discovery by France that there is little likelihood of political guarantees being forthcoming in exchange for a scaling down of her tonnage figures, and by insistence of Italy on parity with the largest Continental naval Power. The fact that the week-end discussions between Mr MacDonald and M. Tardieu excluded political issues from their purview is taken as a recognition by France that adjustments must be on a basis of figures, it is anticipated that the discussions on this subject wilt be prolonged, and it is improbable that any marked advance will be made this week.

It is regarded as certain that the conference, will not break down before M. Tardieu returns to London. Mr MacDonald is to dine this evening with the members of the French delegation at the French Embassy.

LATER. A BLANK DAY. AN UNFORTUNATE ERROR. MR. MACDONALD AS “WRECKER.” (Received March 19, 9.20 a.m.) LONDON, March 18. Except for Signor Grandi’s visit to Mr. Slimson, from which it is understood no progress was made towards ending the Franco-llaiian deadlock, the conference is having a blank day, though the telegraph lines _to Paris and Rome are very busy with Government despatches. Tliis morning (he conference, according to the British spokesman, resolved itself into a mock trial, arising from the Daily Herald’s faux pas, in which, in a desire to pay tribute to Mr. Ramsay MacDonald as an '■Honest Broker," is unfortunately printed "Honest Wrecker.”