LIMITATION OF NAVIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20249, 8 May 1929, Page 11

LIMITATION OF NAVIES.

PROPOSALS.

CONSIDERATION DEFERRED

TIME NEEDED FOR STUDY.

Australian Press Association—United Service British Wireless. GENEVA. May 6. At to-day's sitting of the Preparatory Commission on Disarmament, Mr. N. Sato, (Japan) moved that consideration of the naval armaments question be deferred to enable the various Governments carefully to consider tho compromise proposed by Sir. Hugh Gibson (United States). Mr. Sato paid a tribute to Sir. Gibson, saying he had contributed considerably toward the acceleration of their task. Japan associated herself with Sir. Gibson's view that the essential object was not merely a limitation, but a reduction of effective armaments.

Lord Cushendun, in supporting an adjournment of the matter, said ho had arrived in Geneva three weeks before not feeling very hopeful. Now tho situation had entirely changed. Ho understood the United States Government would communicate concrete proposals to the interested Powers and that an exchange tf views would then follow.

Sir. Gibson's new system for valuing ships might well solve their difficulties. He hoped that at the next conference of the Commission tiie naval Powers would

announce an agreement. Lord Cushendun said Mr. Gibson's declaration contained no definite proposals for an agreement, but what was more useful, suggested a method by which, through careful study, a system for the valuation of ships might be reached. However, it was quite evident that a study and examination of what was in the mind of the United States Government could not be completed in an hour,

a day or a week. Sir. Gibson, in accepting the motion to defer tho matter, agreed that tho best hope for success was that tho representative of each country should come to Geneva prepared to speak from the basis of his country's individual studies of the question. It was abundantly clear that nothing could be more favourable than tho present atmosphere. Sir. Sato's motion was carried.

Litvinoff (Russia) used tho sitting to make a vigorous attack upon what he termed the barrenness of tho Commission's achievements. Then in a dignified manner ho announced that the Soviet would participate in the Disarmament Conference proper. He demanded its immediate convocation.

The chairman intimated that there would be only one more meeting of the Commission before the full conference met.